I decided to send out my monthly letter a little early this month given the state of the world. It will not be a normal letter as things have shifted from having all the freedoms we could imagine to wondering what will tomorrow be like.
Schedule
Right now, as of today 3/19 I am still open and operating. I am not sure how long this will last, but just know the moment could come at any day when the doors may shut for an extended period. Going forward my sanitation efforts will be doubled down on until I close and hopefully when I reopen.
Where does massage fit into the world of COVID-19?
When this is all said and done, I keep asking myself where will I be? I am not a medical facility nor a facility that can bill insurance companies for services like Chiropractors or Physical Therapist. Massage Therapy like other service professions is a cash-based business and sadly that will be in limited supplies in the coming months. I completely understand it, people will need to make sacrifices in areas of their lives to take care of more important expenses such as housing, food, and family as will I. Furthermore most people still do not view massage as a necessity when they can get faster treatments paid for by insurance. If I can make it through this time, I think it is important for everyone to see why massage should still have a place in your health care. First off pain will not go away. Just because COVID-19 is running rabbit does not mean your neck or back pain will disappear. Furthermore when the virus goes away your pain will STILL be here. More concerning than pain for me will be the level of stress each one of us will be under because of money, health, and many other things. If massage does one thing great it is stress reduction. Coming in, turning off the lights, and listening to some soft music while getting a relaxation massage can be the best medicine in the world. If you type in effects of Massage Therapy on Cortisol Levels on google scholar, you will get a flood of scientific data supporting the use of massage therapy for treating high cortisol levels/stress. How does cortisol fit in? Cortisol is our stress hormone, which is a good thing in theory. When a stressful situation happens like getting chased by a bear it basically kicks your body into overdrive and along with adrenaline it gives you almost a superhuman effect. The problem happens when we have repeated stressful situations and those cortisol levels never decrease. This can lead to a whole host of problems including poor immune system response, chronic pain, headaches, and many others. Every day, the physical, emotional, and economical stress that COVID-19 is putting on us is becoming more overwhelming to our bodies. Massage can help you with this, so don’t throw it out when things become normal. If contact is something you are afraid of, I can offer you other forms of treatment like my new MPS Therapy aimed at reducing stress and those cortisol levels with little to no contact.
Going Forward.
Going forward will be scary for me. Massage is one of those things when all said and done is something many will cut out of their lives due to fear and or financial reasons. I would like to confidently say I will come out ok and reopen when this is all over and continue as before, but I don’t know for sure. It maybe months and I am already looking into other employment opportunities to help support my family in that time. It saddens my heart to think if I close my door it might be for good. I pray not, but it is something I must really consider happening if things do not improve economically. Things will get tough for a lot of us, myself included. When you can, please shop local, support your local small businesses we will need all the help we can get to get back on our feet. Chain stores too need our support but in the long run will hopefully fare a little better than us little guys. I will no matter what fight the good fight and try to restart when I can. I will most likely open with reduced rates to better accommodate the local economy. I would like to thank you all for supporting me these past 9 years. You have truly made this a career that I love coming to each day.
Supplements.
Nutridyn has came out with a list of supplements aimed boosting immune system response so that your body may better fend off the virus and recover. They have also emailed us and said that they will do everything they can to keep supply chains open and running. Because this will be financially tough for most of us and I truly believe that supplements are key to overall health during this crisis I will be offering a constant 25% off all supplements through nutridyn until this is over. The list is:
Other Optional Supplements
Stress Management Supplements
Please order online as it will limit face to face contact, but I do have a few items stocked on my shelves. Message me and we can get a something worked out
Be safe everyone. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that is and will be affected by this chapter in our world. I pray that we will come out stronger and better for it. Please remember this is not about us as individuals. I have friends that have immune compromised babies, another that has cancer, a brother in law with an autoimmune disease, parents that are in the high-risk age group …. This is not about me and me dying it is about them please think of those people. God bless you all and I pray for the safety of you, your friends, and family.
Josh
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