Massage And Relaxation

Soothing daytime strategies

Your brain, just like your body, needs downtime. “It performs best after you give it even just a little time to relax,” Ann Pardo says. Try one of these quick boosts to reset your mind.

In the time it takes to cook a bowl of oatmeal, you can…

Turn your shower into a relaxing ritual.

Keep your speedy suds-up-and-rinse routine, but add a small pampering element to upgrade an everyday shower into a spa experience. Trade your plain old soap for a rich body wash (pick a fragrance that reminds you of a favorite place). Or try a scented shower infuser. Toss a tablet on the tub floor; as it dissolves in the water, it will fill your bathroom with its aroma.

“Take a few slow, deep diaphragmatic breaths to help calm your nervous system and ease stress,” says Dr. Amit Sood, director of research for the Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

RS Pick: Bath by Bettijo Sweet Peppermint Shower Infuser, $36, bathbybettijo.com.

In the time it takes to find your car keys, you can…

Knead away stress with a hand massage.

Whether you work at a computer all day or not, hands carry a ton of tension. But using a fast modified reflexology technique can diminish that clenched-fist feeling and even affect the rest of your body. First apply a silky lotion to make your hands easy to massage. Begin at the base of the large muscle below your thumb. Use the fingers of your opposite hand to rub gently in a circular motion, says Stephanie Hunt, a massage therapist at the Red Mountain Spa, in St. George, Utah. As you work your way up your thumb to the tip, you will release tightness in your shoulders, neck, and scalp. Real Simple: Stretching 101

RS Pick: Lollia Relax Shea Butter Handcreme, $24, lollialife.com.

In the time it takes to read three new e-mails, you can…

Pause for a few soothing seconds.

When you don’t have time to leave your desk, mist your face with a cucumber-scented spray. It feels refreshing, hydrates your skin, and offers a welcome break from stale office air. Plus, the smell of cucumbers can reduce anxiety, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, in Chicago.

To further increase the feel-good factor, “disengage for several minutes to clear your mind,” says Dr. Amit Sood. Close your office door and log out of your e-mail, he suggests.

RS Pick: Lather Cucumber & Ginseng Facial Mist, $14, lather.com.

Relaxing nighttime techniques

If excessive thinking keeps you awake (experts call that beta chatter), Dr. Sood suggests creating a nightly ritual for moving from day to evening. “This will help quiet your thoughts,” he says.

In the time it takes to pack tomorrow’s lunch, you can…

Take a nice, sleep-enhancing soak.

Experts suggest slipping into a warm tub an hour before going to bed. Soaking in the tub will raise your body temperature, says Mary Esther, M.D., a sleep-disorders specialist in Charlotte, North Carolina. This can improve your sleep quality by increasing deep sleep. Make the whole experience even more relaxing by adding skin-softening bath oil to the water, dimming the lights (darkness lulls the brain to sleep, too), or coating yourself with a lotion with a calming scent when you get out of the tub. Real Simple: Yoga decoder

RS Pick: Origins Calm to Your Senses Lavender and Vanilla Body Smoother, $25, origins.com for locations.

In the time it takes to remove your contacts, you can…

Brush your way to relaxation.

It feels wonderful when someone runs his fingers through your hair, but the simple act of brushing your own hair can put you in the same zone. “Repetitive movements like this evoke a relaxation response in your body,” says Herbert Benson, M.D., director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston. “This can break the chain of stressful everyday thoughts that can keep you from fully calming down.” Benson’s research has also shown that regularly tapping into that relaxation response can help slow stress-related aging.

RS Pick: Sephora Brand Large Oval Boar Brush, $18, sephora.com.

In the time it takes to give a good-night kiss, you can…

Chill with aromatherapy.

Evidence has shown that certain essential oils, such as lavender, are relaxers. “Lavender has calming, soothing effects, so it’s good to use at bedtime,” says Rachel Herz, Ph.D., author of “The Scent of Desire” (Harper Perennial, $14). Rub a balm with lavender oil onto your body’s pulse points (located at the base of your neck, inside your wrists, and on your temples) before you get under the covers. The warmth of the skin in these areas can enhance the scent, which envelops you while you sleep.

Source: CNN.com

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The name “Mandara” is said to have come from an ancient Sanskrit legend about a god’s quest to find the elixir of immortality and eternal youth. Whether this is true or not is irrelevant, because if there ever was a place that made one feel completely alive, it’s the Mandara Spa at the Wailea Marriott Resort.

From the moment one enters, the attention to detail is readily apparent. In order to assure the therapists are fully apprised of one’s potential needs and physical condition, a thorough personal medical history is requested. Once this is done, you are escorted into the changing area. The attendant takes you on a tour of the area showing all of the amenities, from the steam room to the relaxation lounge.

Mandara Spa Manager Nancy Mitchell is a devotee of aromatherapy. She believes fragrance is integral to the overall spa experience. In an uncanny, unintended homage to the great modern artist Marcel DuChamp, the urinals are topped with foot-long sticks of fresh cinnamon.

The Mandara Spa has the best steam room west of the Russian Baths. When you walk into the room, you are  immediately engulfed in a cloud of invigorating steam. No need to wait for the steam to come up like some other places, it’s just right there. Sit and breathe the moist, cleansing steam and feel revitalized.

This is just the beginning of the delights that await patrons of the Mandara Spa. After a half-hour of hydrotherapy, frolicking in the steam and a wonderful refreshing shower, you can then repair to the aesthetically pleasing relaxation lounge. With its comfortable chairs, gorgeous bamboo curtains, subdued lighting and indoor waterfall, the room more than lives up to its name.

There are both couple- and single-treatment rooms–some with ocean views. The Rolls Royce of these is Treatment Room Four: a corner room overlooking the resort’s fabulous infinity edge pool with a two sided ocean view.

Some of the amenities include a multi-head oversized shower and a Jacuzzi bathtub for two. In fact, the whole of this room is set up for a romantic couple encounter.

If one prefers the privacy of a dark interior space, that’s available as well. Understated lighting and Asian-influenced furnishings are the hallmarks of these areas.

Throughout this world-class spa, no detail has been left unattended. When you lie on the massage table, you will notice it is heated. If you never missed such an amenity before, once experienced, it’s something you will never want to do without.

Mandara has spas from Shanghai to Aruba, so the menu of bodywork available at the Mandara Spa is an eclectic variety. True to its Balinese roots (the first Mandara Spa was founded there in 1995), one-third of the massage menu features Balinese techniques, the other third is European- and Asian-influenced and the  final third is influenced by the locale of the spa.

On Maui, the local offerings are lomi lomi and hot rocks. While you can get lomi lomi just about everywhere on the island, you cannot get the invigorating Elemis Refreshing Gel the therapists slather on after they finish each side of the massage. This secret blend of arnica, birch, witch hazel, camphor and menthol is reputed to relieve aches and pains and is even recommended for headaches!

As if that were not enough, the treatment concluded with an amazing foot massage that featured Elemis Devil’s Mint Body Scrub, a magical combination of seaplant particles, devil’s apron seaweed and peppermint essential oils. Then the therapist wraps your feet in hot towels. Your feet will never be so clean nor so relaxed and well-cared for.

Of course the spa has a salon as well, where Mitchell said, “Guests can get a La Therapie facial using galvanic current which goes down four to five layers of skin.” According to Mitchell,  the most exotic treatment is the lime and ginger scrub followed by a body scrub, exfoliation, culminating in a massage.

Massages are available for 50 or 80 minutes, and for the truly sybaritic experience, one can have a Madara Perfect Day of Bliss. This five-hour-and-45- minute series of treatments includes a massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, shampoo and styling and make-up.

Unlike some other spas that cater only to hotel guests, Mitchell welcomes kama‘aina. Bring in your Hawai‘i I.D. for a  20 percent discount. This generous offer makes the experience within reach of those who ordinarily don’t pamper themselves and makes a  great gift for that special someone.

The spa is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 891-8774 for more information or visit the Website at www.mandaraspa.com. You’ll be glad you did.

Source: Maui Weekly

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Fibromyalgia is a peculiar chronic musculoskeletal disorder with indications of extensive and enduring muscle and soft tissue pain and swelling, exhaustion, and soreness in the neck, shoulders and hips. The name fibromyalgia comes from “fibro” meaning fibrous tissue (such as tendons and ligaments), “my” meaning muscles and “algia” meaning pain. The magnitude and ineffectiveness of conventional medicines has made the fibromyalgia patients turn to alternative theraaphy, which provide drug free doctoring, to relieve the pain.

Chronic fatigue is often present in the more acute cases of fibromyalgia. Sedatives, muscle relaxers, pain relievers, anti-depressants, anti-convulsants and reuptake inhibitors have all been a part of conventional medical prescriptions used over the years to alleviate pain. Patients have reported taking as many as ten medicines at a time to take the edge of the ache, but have had no positive consequences.

Nevertheless, patients adopting alternative treatments have testified optimistically. These holistic therapies in point of fact work well because they have a comprehensive bearing. Some alternative therapies for fibromyalgia are elucidated ahead.

ACUPUNCTURE - is a Chinese medical system based on reinstating the customary equilibrium of life forces by inserting very fine needles through the skin to different depths which cause changes in the blood flow.

ELECRO ACUPUNCTURE – is another way of stimulating the acupuncture points using needles hooked to small wires which are in turn connected to slight electrical currents.

LASER ACUPUNCTURE – is another derivative of electro acupuncture, wherein laser beams are used at the same acupuncture points.

ACCUPRESSURE – is a similar Chinese medical practice that uses finger pressure on the skin rather than needles.

CUPPING THERAPY - is another Chinese medical practice which cures by stimulating the body’s natural energy called ‘qi’. The air inside a cup is heated and this cup is placed on the skin. The ensuing vacuum pulls the skin into the cup, thus rousing the ‘qi’.

CUPPING THERAPY - is another Chinese medical practice which cures by stimulating the body’s natural energy called ‘qi’. The air inside a cup is heated and this cup is placed on the skin. The ensuing vacuum pulls the skin into the cup, thus rousing the ‘qi’.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE – is based on the philosophy that misalignment of the spinal cord causes pain. Chiropractors forcibly manipulate the vertebra from different angles with an aim to reinstate the spinal movement, thereby reducing pain.

MASSAGE – is one of the oldest methods of mitigating pain. Body muscles and soft tissues are stroked and kneaded with oil with the objective of increasing the metabolism and blood circulation; in consequence reducing pain and improving mobility.

BIOFEEDBACK – is a mind body therapy which helps to find the real cause of pain by using sensors connected between your body and a machine. Pain is eliminated by trying to overcome these causes.

HOMEOPATHY – is a complementary system of medicine which stimulates the body to ward off pain using small doses of medicine.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS – which are taken directly or in liquids like tea and soup are also used to lower pain and chronic fatigue.

MEDITATION AND PRAYER – “More things are wrought by prayer than the world dreams of.” Using this belief, meditation and prayers have been used to decrease pain by giving support to the spiritual dimension of life. Mind is stronger than the body. Believe it or not, these alternative therapies have reported varying degrees of improvement.

YOGA – the oldest form of Indian ‘sadhna’ has also accomplished a lot in alleviating pain using its various ‘aasnas’ as apart of natural and alternate therapy for fibromyalgia.

AROMATHERAPY - Aromatherapy recommends cold compresses or steam inhalation of Lavender oil to relieve headaches. A bath or massage with sage oil can relieve muscle aches.

REFLEXOLOGY - works to heal those parts of the body, which cannot be touched from the outside by manipulating pressure points that match up to other places and organs.

CHELATION THERAPY - is based on the concept that when an amino acid complex known as EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid) comes into contact with positively charged metals, it binds these toxins and excretes them from the body. Fibromyalgia is aggravated by heavy metal toxicity and chelation therapy can help eliminate built-up ionic substances such as lead, iron, plutonium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY - Trigger point therapy or myotherapy is a touch therapy that is used to eliminate trigger points. Trigger points are areas of extreme sensitivity on the body. When touched, these trigger points can cause pain, restrict motion, and increase muscle stiffness. If they are purged, fibromyalgia pain eases.

HYPNOSIS - Hypnosis is a non-invasive technique that helps to achieve heightened levels of focus and sensation. Hypnosis is very effective in fibromyalgia patients because of its physical action on the brain.

LIGHT THERAPY – helps to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms by triggering hormone release using light beams of varied frequencies.

LOW FREQUENCY SOUND THERAPY – works on the premise that low frequency sound actually has healing properties; when these infrasonic waves are run over the body they diminish fibromyalgia pain.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY - Craniosacral therapy is an alternative treatment technique, quite similar to osteopathy. Craniosacral therapy uses placid palpations on the skin in order to reinstate health and reduce pain.

ENVIRONMENTAL THERAPY - It helps to treat fibromyalgia by controlling the environmental factors such as chemicals, pesticides, drugs, car exhaust, tobacco smoke, as well as food allergens; all of which aggravate fibromyalgia.

REIKI – promotes holistic healing thereby easing fibromyalgia pain.

WATSU THERAPY – is a form of hydrotherapydefine based on the principle of the connection between mind, body and breath as well as the use of stretch in order to stimulate positive energy (Chi) flow in the body. Watsu helps to diminish wide spread pain, muscle twitching and weakness while promoting relaxation.

MAGNET THERAPY – helps to treat fibromyalgia pain by using the energy and electrical currents of magnets in order to promote overall physical and mental healing through the stimulation of body cells. Some magnetic devices such as magnetic mattresses, pillows and jewellery are also used for everyday living therapy.

HYDROTHERAPY - is based on the therapeutic use of hot and cold water and helps to bring the relief needed from fibromyalgia pain.

QUIGONG THERAPY - heals the body and centers the mind, using exercise and meditation, thus eliminating pain.

DANCE THERAPY - uses therapeutic movements, in order to relieve widespread pain, anxiety and hurt.

HUMOUR THERAPY- uses the strength of laughter to assuage the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

PETdefine THERAPY - Animal lovers can use pet therapy as a good option for easing fibromyalgia pain. Through their unconditional love, pets encourage the patients to be more active. On the whole, fibromyalgia patients have found pets to give them a sense of security and independence.

EMU OIL THERAPY - is another alternative treatment for fibromyalgia that can help to bring pain relief and can also supplement medicinal therapy.

OSTEOPATHY – is a more complex form CAM which incorporates physical, medicinal and surgical forms of diagnosis to treat the body of pain naturally. Patients need the help of an osteopath to help them with this therapy.

PHYSICAL THERAPY - Light aerobic exercises such as swimming or walking are good stress reducers, and are a part of physical therapy to do away with the subject pain.

S-ADENOSLYMETHIONINE (SAM-e) THERAPY –is a natural supplement which helps relieve pain. It is safe but expensive and has a tendency to react with other drugs that a person might be taking.

RELAXATION THERAPY – helps to reduce anxiety, depressiondefine and insomnia all of which are fibromyalgia symptoms by providing a person with physical, emotional and spiritual relaxation.

MUSIC THERAPY – uses music as method of healing.

FLOWER ESSENCES THERAPY - works to decrease stress while promoting relaxation and healing by using specific flower essences like those of red chestnut, olive, cherry plum, mimulus, aspen, rock rose and gentian.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM CLEANSE THERAPY – cleanses the body of toxins, thereby reducing fibromyalgia symptoms.

So take you pick, practice it religiously and overcome fibromyalgia.

Know what to expect during a massageMassage is a valuable ally in feeling healthy and staying in the game. Here’s what to expect from your first massage:

- Find a qualified massage therapist at www.massagetherapy.com and work with a professional.

- Many people worry about modesty. You’ll undress only to your level of comfort and will be covered under a sheet or towel for the entire massage session except for the area being worked on. You’ll undress and dress in privacy.

- You’ll be massaged only on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck and shoulders. Tell your massage therapist about any aches and tightness and whether the pressure is comfortable.

- Drink plenty of water after your massage to help clear away lactic acid and toxins.

- Most people find quiet is conducive to relaxation, but it’s okay to chat and ask questions if you wish. Just don’t feel obligated to make small talk — the focus is on your relaxation and it’s perfectly polite to be quiet.

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Being one of the greatest sources of tension in the whole body, the neck can benefit hugely from a good massage. Bad posture, stress, drafts, and poor working conditions can all cause neck pain, but even the sheer weight of your head can often cause your neck to ache. As with chest and shoulder massage, work standing or kneeling behind your partners head.

Side stroking

Your partner should be lying on his or her back. Using both of your hands together, stroke one side of the base of your partner’s neck.

Lean slightly toward the side you are working on, and stroke with one hand from the shoulder up the neck to the base of the skull. As your hand reaches the ear, follow the movement with your other hand.

Lift off your first hand and return it to the shoulder as your other hand strokes up your partner’s neck. Try to keep the return movement smooth, so that the whole sequence feels flowing and your partner cannot tell when one stroke finishes and the next begins. Repeat the strokes several times on one side of the body, then copy the sequence on the other side.

Alternate stroking

This is a wonderful flowing movement to follow side stroking.

With one hand on each side of your partner’s neck, stroke with one hand first and then the other from the shoulders up to the base of the skull.

Sway from one side to the other as you make the movement so that the stroke is large and even as you gently ease the head from side to side. As your partner gradually relaxes, the movement becomes really rhythmic and fluid.

I use my forearms to help make alternate stroking a really big, smooth, flowing movement.

Side stretch

Cup one of your hands over one of your partner’s shoulders, and your other hand around the base of the skull on the same side. Gently push the shoulder down while holding the head, without jerking the neck. This movement gives a gentle stetch to the neck muscles. Repeat on the other side of the body.

When giving a side stretch, on no account should you yank the neck. Pulling the head too sharply or roughly could leave your partner with more than just a small pain in the neck.

Pressures

Refresh your memory of applying pressures before starting.

Slide your hands as far down as is comfortable to the base of the neck. With the two middle fingers of each of your hands, make small, firm, circular pressures on either side of the spine. Work slowly up to the neck, then press into the hollow at the top of the spine and the indentations on either side of the base of the skull.

Make circular pressures all over the base of the skull. Press firmly, but with care. The muscles in this region are frequently taut and tense, and these pressures, which stimulate blood flow, can unknot the tension.

Extra movement

This is a terrific way of opening the chest, as well as relaxing the shoulders and back. Ask your partner to lift up slightly, then slide your hands as far as you can reach under the back. Slowly glide up the back, taking your partner’s weight in your hands. Use your own body weight to give a long stretch to the back.

If your partner is much bigger and heavier than you, take care when lifting them. You must position yourself so that you do not strain your own back; use your hips and stomach as you slowly pull back. If it causes you discomfort, don’t do it. There is always another way of creating a similar effect.

Passive movements

As the term suggests, passive movements are actions performed by the masse any assistance from the person being massaged. When doing such movements, care should be taken not to force them but Just to follow the client’s natural range of movement.

Tension all down the back and up to the top of the head can be relieved by stretching the neck. Apply the stretch very gradually and smoothly, never jerk or pull suddenly.

Cup your hands around the base of your partner’s skull and, without lifting the head up, lean back slowly, using your body weight to give a gentle stretch to the neck. Repeat two or three times.

Cup one of your hands around the back of the head and place your other hand on the forehead. Lift the head so that the chin drops forward. Then gently lower the head, letting your hand take its weight. Repeat several times to encourage the head to move freely.

With both your hands in the same position as in step 2, slowly turn the head from side to side, making sure you support it all the time. Never force these movements ­ just encourage the head to move more freely.

Quick checklist for chest massage

For a qucik reminder, and to avoid going back over pages, use this list of the basic steps in a chest massage:

Stroking the chest

Knuckling, kneading, and circular pressures on the chest

Stroking the back of the neck and shoulders to stretch and relieve tension

Circular pressures at the base of the neck and on either side of the spine

Stroking the chest

Passive movements

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

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Good face massage can soothe away anxiety, headaches, and exhaustion, and replace them with a feeling of serenity and well-being. It can leave people looking and feeling years younger. By stimulating circulation, a face massage gives a healthy, vibrant glow to the complexion, and by relaxing taut muscles, it rids the face of weariness. Head massage is the perfect complement to face massage, and the result is relaxation in every part of the body. A thin layer of muscle covers the skull, which tightens when we are tense, leading to headaches and stress. A head massage can relax this muscle and generally ease tension and anxiety throughout the body.

Stroke away your worries

A face massage can literally stroke away tension. For the best effect your hands must be relaxed, and the movements should feel flowing and confident. Remember that the face is particularly sensitive, so be sure to use enough lubrication that you avoid dragging the skin. Also check that your hands are completely free of rough skin and that your nails are short so that they don’t scratch your partner’s face.

You need experience to give a good face massage, so you need to practice. Try out the movements on your knee and on your own face.

Stroking

This rhythmic stroke covers the entire face and spreads the oil. Use a fine face oil, or an enriched face cream, and kneel behind your partner’s head.

Start with your hands at the base of the neck, then sweep them up to the chin, using the whole surface of your hands. Pause for a moment.

Stroke out under the jaw to the ears, molding your hands to the contours of the face. Pause for a moment with your palms resting over the ears, then glide your hands back down under the chin.

Stroke with your fingertips from the chin, around the mouth, to the nostrils. Continue stroking up the sides of the nose, pausing just below the eyes, then glide out under the cheekbones and up to the temples, and return to the chin.

Stroke up the front of the face again, but this time continue up to the bridge of the nose. Pause, then stroke out across the forehead to the temples. Pause and press, then glide down to the chin. Repeat steps 1-4 at least four times.

Never give a full face massage to someone who is wearing contact lenses. Ask your partner to remove their lenses before you start, or take care to avoid the eye area.

Cupping the face

Cup your hands over your partner’s face, with the palms on the forehead and your fingers over the mouth. Hold them there for a moment. Then, press down very gently. Following this, release the pressure and draw your hands out to the sides. Pause here for a moment, then repeat the whole sequence.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

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Massage

Massaging is one of the most widely recognized therapies in the world and many people see it as a way of life instead of a luxury. It is widely used to compliment medicines in treating a variety of ailments, most related to stress and tension. Very often emotions become reserved and manifest themselves in the muscles, by massaging the muscles and releasing these reserved emotions both body and mind will benefit.

Many people see massaging as quite a time consuming practise however that really is not the case. A simple 10 or 15 minute hand or foot massage can be very stimulating due to the proximity of the reflexology points. There are many types of massage for example some techniques work on pressure points whilst others work on specific points to eliminate toxins. The benefits of massage are quite vast and include improved circulation, digestion and skin condition.

Essential Oils

Massaging is obviously all about touch and touch is an extremely important part of a healthy lifestyle. All too often we get caught up in our hectic lifestyles we overlook giving each other a hug or holding a hand, which can make us feel instantly better. We can combine this touch and massage with aroma and provide an ultimate feel good therapy. We are surrounded by thousands of different scents yet we are quite unaware of the power that scent can have on the brain. The same area of the brain which is stimulated by smell is also connected to the hormonal system and it is for this reason odours can comfort us, relive memories, warn us of danger and recreate experiences.

A Blend of the two

When massage is blended with aromatherapy, the scents of the essential oils assist greatly in relaxation and they help to rebalance the emotional tension which often leads to muscle stress. When blending these together, it is unlike a traditional massage as the process is slower. Time must be allowed for the oils to be absorbed by the body and this will depend on the physical state of the receiver (amount of fatty tissue).

Preparing the Perfect Massage

It is important to create the right atmosphere and if possible use a room which has soft light colours. It is also important for the room to be warm because very often during a massage the exposed muscles will become cold and contract, which is the opposite of what we want to achieve. The lighting should also be soft, candles make for a veryrelaxing atmosphere but can be quite hazardous, a dimmer switch for your lights are the best tool for creating the right atmosphere.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

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The start of the new year is the time when we plan to be better people — nicer, skinnier, more careful people.

Sure, self-help books and service magazines offer a lot of lists, but you might want to check yourself against something that has stood the test of time: the Seven Deadly sins, a popular topic in art and drama of the Middle Ages.

And in the interest of free choice, here are some modern suggestions for fighting them off — or indulging them.

Lust

Fight back: Feeling tempted by the fruit of another? Need something to remind you to keep your hands where they belong?

If you are a believer in the Bible, perhaps carrying it with you would help inspire you to remove yourself from a potentially sticky situation. The credit card-sized Itty Bitty Bible ($10), opens to reveal a 1¼-inch piece of film inscribed with all the words from the Old and New Testaments, reduced by 285 times, according to maker Amazing Faith.

You can’t read it without a microscope. But Amazing Faith assures, “Have faith. It’s all in there.”

“Since it fits right into your pocket you can carry your faith with you at all times,” says Jaime Hovan, a spokesperson for the company.

It comes in both a King James and Catholic Latin versions.

Give in: Make love on luxury.

The super-duper mattress race shows no signs of ending in 2008.

Italian mattress designer Magniflex is introducing a platinum bed at the Las Vegas Furniture Market next month, more extravagant than its Gold Mattress, a bed with a 22-karat gold fiber cover. “Each piece is thermo-regulating, anti-bacterial, odor-proof, and anti-stress, and is customized to fit the comfort levels of the consumer,” says Henry Burney, U.S. sales representative for Magniflex.

The bed will retail for approximately $75,000. Matching platinum pillows sold separately.

Gluttony

Fight it: For the best taste, most hot chocolate should be made with whole milk. But Godiva’s new formula for hot cocoa is equally good with 2 percent milk, the company says. Available in four flavors — milk, dark and new this year, caramel or mocha — the cocoa makes a rich and creamy drink.

Each 14-oz. tin retails for $10 and is available at Godiva stores or at godiva.com

And when Valentine’s Day rolls around, you can top the hot chocolate with the new sugar-free marshmallow heart Peeps, from the maker of the ever-popular Easter treats.

Give in: Of course, hot chocolate can also be an over-the-top treat — load on the whipped cream, marshmallows and shots of flavored syrups.

But the seriously gourmet may now prefer “drinking chocolate.” New “single-origin” hot chocolates have labels that read like wine bottles, and tell you where the chocolate comes from and what flavor notes it imparts.

Throw your health to the wind and substitute heavy cream for half of the whole milk called for on the package.

Greed

Fight it: Here’s a way to cut down on your own greed, or at least make it work for a good cause.

Treat your calories like cash. Any time you break your diet, charge yourself a standard amount of cash, say, 1 cent for every calorie in a forbidden treat. Donate the proceeds to your local food pantry or a national program for feeding the needy, such as America’s Second Harvest, which serves a network of 200 member food banks and food rescue organizations in 50 states. (There’s an easy online donation form at secondharvest.org.)

More than 35.5 million people in the United States went hungry in 2006, just about the same amount as 2005, according to the Agriculture Department. At the same time, food pantries say they are facing real shortages. Not only are people facing rising costs of food, housing, utilities, health care and gasoline, but wholesalers and retailers have less surplus food to donate, food banks report.

Give in: If you are lucky enough have a big food allowance, there are now no shortage of businesses that want to help you get all rich food, all the time.

There’s a food of the month club for just about anything: Start with the Italian Wine of the Month Club ($199.95 a month plus shipping and handling for three “Platinum Membership” bottles a month). For something to munch on with your wine, try Stonewall Kitchen’s Specialty Food Club ($320 for 12 months of goodies). And don’t forget Artisanal Premium Cheese’s Cheese of the Month plan ($840 for the 12-month plan). For dessert, try King Arthur Flour’s Bakery Club ($375 for 12 months).

All make handy belated holiday gifts, too.

Sloth

Fight back: Don’t just sit there — Autom-ize!

Get some motivation and support with the Autom, a robotic weight loss coach making test runs in Boston homes. Dieters input food and exercise, and the Autom provides encouragement and advice, such as “Congratulations, you’re doing a good job at meeting your diet goals that you’ve set for yourself,” or after eating a gallon of ice cream, “Everyone has a few days over their goals. Let’s try to make tomorrow a good day for your diet.”

“Research has shown that people who keep track of their calories and exercise while dieting are more likely to lose weight and keep it off over time,” says Cory D. Kidd, inventor of the Autom, and CEO of Intuitive Automata. “However, it’s very difficult for most people to do this. Autom helps by providing encouragement and support.”

Give in: If you are going to sit around, at least multi-task.

Brookstone is offering the OSIM uHarmony Massage Chair: It reclines to 175 degrees and has pre-programmed massages, built-in heat and a place to plug in your MP3 or CD player. “So you can listen to music while you’re getting a massage and if you want, it can synchronize the massage to the beat of the music,” says Robert Padgett, spokesman for Brookstone.

“But even more important is the heat function because so many of our customers have said they wanted a massage chair with heat. It helps to relax them even more.”

Relaxation does come at a price. The uHarmony Massage Chair costs $3,995.

Pride

Fight it: Who needs those 3-inch stillettos that give your legs enough shape to rival Julia Roberts?

Swallow your pride and bring your gently used shoes to Kenneth Cole New York stores from Jan. 19-Jan. 27 — instead of taking up precious closet space, they’ll go to someone who will wear them. The company is partnering with Help USA, a provider of housing and services for the homeless.

Over the past 15 years, Kenneth Cole has collected more than 1.5 million pairs of shoes for the organization.

And if that’s not enough, donors will also get a coupon for a 20 percent discount on their next Kenneth Cole purchase.

Give in: Fashion does takes a turn toward modesty in 2008, but there are always items that will get you noticed. Accessories — especially handbags, jewelry and shoes — seem to be a weakness for many, and they can add flash to an otherwise buttoned-up, eco-friendly, minimalist-luxury outfit.

Buy color! advises Sandra Wilson, accessories fashion director at Neiman Marcus. You’ll have a rainbow of choices, ranging from citrus shades to coral, and also turquoise and green.

“There’s a wonderful brightness to everything that makes you light up,” Wilson says.

Wrath

Fight it: Sure, we all are under a lot of stress these days. But don’t pull an Alec Baldwin and take out your anger on someone you love. Try the increasingly popular art of meditation. “Visualize a rainbow,” David Fontana suggests in his new book “Meditation Bliss: Inspirational Techniques for Finding Calm” ($9.95). “Rainbows are … said to purify space, and to have healing and tranquilizing properties.”

Or take a lesson from spiritual guru Deepak Chopra. At the Chopra Center Web site, you can take The Dosha Quiz (store.chopra.com/dosha-survey.asp) to find out about mind-body balance in your life and how to help improve awareness of both.

If do-it-yourself meditation is too much, try your local spa. According to the International Spa Association, 57 percent of U.S. spas that offer mind, body and spirit programs conduct meditation training, making it the No. 1 offering in that category.

Give in: That’s right. Let it out. Unleash your pent-up anger by joining a constructive cause — volunteering for the presidential candidate of your choice. Yes, in case you haven’t heard, there’s an election on in 2008.

All the major candidates’ Web sites offer forms to get involved, with a wide variety of options: You can volunteer for the traditional, such as putting a sign in your yard or doing door-to-door campaigning. The technically inclined can download campaign widgets to a blog or get a campaign-approved ringtone for cell phones. Search a directory of your local radio shows to get their call-in numbers, or check out some talking points to compose a letter to the editor.

If you want to put your money where your mouth is, you can also try the 2008 Presidential Candidate Hot Sauces from Dave’s Gourmet. All the leading candidates are represented with their picture and pithy quotes on individual jars of cayenne-based sauce. The company is counting each bottle sold as a vote, and will see how well hot sauce purchasing choices reflect the real polls.

You can track the spicy-lection on their site, davesgourmet.com.

Envy

Fight back: Get over yourself and stop pining for greener grass. Try giving to others instead of focusing on your own supposed needs. Time magazine named VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) one of the top 10 Web sites of 2007.

You can find numerous opportunities to lend a hand to your community based on your specific skills and interests. Participants can volunteer for everything from maple syrup production in Stamford, Conn., to teaching math skills to war veterans in Los Angeles. More than 50,000 nonprofit organizations recruit from VolunteerMatch, according to the site.

Give in: Feeling green? Wallow in it. There’s always somebody richer, younger, prettier and smarter than you, so envy knows no limits. Log onto Facebook, the social networking story of 2007, and load up on applications that show just how you compare to others in every category from college football scorecasting, to politics, to rocks, paper, scissors.

Or check out the newly debuted site ImInLikeWithYou, where you auction yourself off to potential dates through a point system. Users post their profile and photos, and then they start a “game,” which involves asking other users personal questions like, “What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?” or “What’s the best spot for a first date?” Interested members can reply, along with a bid of points, and when the game wraps up you chose a winner among the top five bidders, who can then talk with you through the site.

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Whether you seek relaxation of mind, body, spirit, or you seek beauty enhancing skin care or you simply want to be pampered, spas are your ticket to a healthy escape. Whether standalone or housed in hotels, they all offer some out of the world treatments that will send your spirits soaring.

The treatments offered can range from wet treatments (wet table with Vichy shower and/or hydrotherapy) to dry treatments (massage, body wraps), to wellness therapies (such as oxygen inhalation and health assessments) and beauty treatments. Besides offering treatments to hotel guests, some of these spas encourage walk-in customers also. They also have annual memberships that could cost you Rs one lakh and above.

At Starwood’s Westin Spa & Resort, you could try any of the five different massage styles — Shiatsu, Thai, Hawaiian Lomo Lomi, Swedish and Balinese. You could take your pick from the seaweed body cream scrub, the fleur de fleur scrub done using ylang ylang, geranium and lemon or the green tea scrub that uses apricot kernal scrub, green tea leaf, mulberry leaf, shea butter, tamarind extract, jojoba, sunflower seed and green tea oils. Treatments begin at Rs 3,500 and could go up to Rs 9,000, depending upon the package you choose.

Ananda In The Himalayas, near Rishikesh, offers an extensive menu of over 79 body and beauty treatments, integrating the traditional Indian systems of ayurveda with the more contemporary western spa approach. The aromatherapy massage is recommended for a fragrant makeover. Ananda Sanjeevani, the signature Ananda package, is an amalgam of all that the spa has to offer — yoga, ayurvedic relaxation therapies and full body massage, Aveda beauty treatment and sessions in self-care techniques. The rates range from Rs 18,000 to Rs 1.1lakh depending upon the treatment and type of room you choose.

The Banyan Tree Spa at Oberoi Udaivilas resembles a miniature domed palace painted to evoke heaven. From its large airy treatment suites, guests can gaze across the pool through a cusped arch to the lake beyond. The Royal Treasures treatment is a three-hour experience for Rs 7000++, that includes sandlewood & turmeric Scrub, tomato wrap and milk and rose bath.

The newly launched Taj Spa at Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, recreates the grandeur synonymous with royal India at a spa reminiscent of India’s beautiful Rajput palaces, water gardens, and fabled regal lifestyle. Two luxurious spa suite tents, embellished with wooden floors, glowing chandeliers and regal Indian love swings, exude the magic of an exotic era and invite guests to savour an exclusive spa experience. more…

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