We posted earlier this month about our work with Jim Tavare, the star of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, who was in a horrific car accident this past March. The head-on collision was nothing short of a nightmare, leaving Jim with a broken neck, 15 broken ribs, multiple breaks in his right leg, a punctured lung, and fractures in both breastbones. He spent 15 days in Intensive Care at a hospital in Los Angeles, after which he was able to go home. However, he knew that his road to recovery had only just begun.
We worked closely with his wife, Laura Tavare, to provide a Perfect Chair PC-610 Omni-Motion Classic recliner in order to alleviate some of the pain of Jim’s injuries and allow him to properly rest so that he can recover. The Manager of our Backcare Division, Mark Moritz, was able to personally deliver the PC-610 to Jim’s home, where he demonstrated how to use the chair and answered any questions.
In the month that Jim has been able to use his Perfect Chair, he and Laura shared that it’s been a huge aid in his recovery. While they’re still waiting for his surgeon’s permission to bear weight on his arms and leg, Jim has been immobile within his home. Sleeping in his bed was too uncomfortable for him, so he was relieved to find that his PC-610 has provided a sanctuary where he can get a good night’s rest. Because the chair can be relocated to any room in his house, he can also escape the confines of his bed to enjoy more public spaces of his home. According to Laura, “Jim can happily sit for hours in the Perfect Chair. Being able to recline into zero gravity brings him enormous relief.”
It has been so incredible to be a part of Jim’s journey to recovery. While our primary reward has been to help him along as he works so hard to get well, we have received a huge number of comments, messages, and emails from Jim’s friends and family as they share their thanks for our help. We look forward to Jim’s continued improvement, and will continue to update you with news of his progress.
Below are a few x-rays of Jim's "new hardware" that the Tavares were kind enough to share with us, so that our readers can better understand the gravity of Jim’s injuries, and the details of his recovery. As you can see, there has already been extensive surgical work done on his right leg and foot (shown here)
Writen By Laura Gaskill, Houzz
Photo (Above): Louise de Miranda, original photo on Houzz
When you hear the word “retreat,” what comes to mind — writing in a cabin by a lonesome lake, engaging in spiritual study or practicing yoga on the beach? How about doing a retreat in your own home? It may at first seem like an improbable idea (although that yoga-on-the-beach thing sounds pretty good), but there are some surprising positives to crafting your own retreat at home. For one thing, it’s free. For another, you can decide exactly the sort of activities you want to focus on, including things that may not be combined in most retreats (novel writing and cupcake baking, anyone?). Check out these 10 steps to designing your own retreat in the comfort of your home.
Bonaventura Architect, original photo on Houzz
1. Decide on a focus. Are you craving a spiritual retreat? Time to work on your craft, write, do yoga or meditate? Make a short list of the things you want to incorporate into your retreat so you can start planning.
2. Get your household onboard. If you live with others, and especially if you have children, going on a retreat at home can be a challenge. Try to plan the retreat for a time when your family or housemates will be away, particularly during the day. At the very least, try to get everyone to agree to respect what you are doing. This includes not speaking to you too much if you decide to maintain silence (see No. 8) during your retreat. If you have children, it can be worthwhile to do a shorter (even a one-day) retreat when you know the kids will be out of the house.
3. Set an intention. An intention is different from a goal. A goal might be, “I will meditate two hours each day,” whereas an intention could be, “I will be mindful and appreciate each moment.”
To set an intention for your retreat, answer these two questions:
○ What do you hope to gain from your retreat?
○ What do you hope your experience will be?
Setting intentions before your retreat can help keep you focused on the experience you want to have.
Nicola O’Mara Interior Design, original photo on Houzz
4. Shop for groceries and plan meals. Retreats you travel to, no matter what the focus, tend to offer fresh, healthful food — so try to offer yourself the same. Get the main work out of the way before your retreat begins, so you can focus on the good stuff.
5. Gather other materials. Depending on what sort of activities you will be focusing on, you may want to pick up books, instructional videos, craft supplies, notebooks and pens, a yoga mat or meditation cushions.
The New Design Project, original photo on Houzz
6. Create a schedule. Any proper retreat has a schedule mapped out in advance, and there’s no reason you can’t do the same. Decide what time you would like to rise, eat, work on your project, read, have downtime and go to sleep each day. Of course, the beauty of having an at-home retreat is that you are free to leave your schedule as open or as structured as you like.
7. Prepare your space. There’s no need to go overboard cleaning and scrubbing, but beginning your retreat in a neat, clean home will help set a positive tone. Plan to spend a few hours getting rid of clutter and cleaning up before you begin your retreat.
Pay special attention to clearing away clutter and electronic devices in the bedroom so you can sleep restfully. And elsewhere in the house, put away anything that reminds you of work or things you may be feeling stressed about.
rigby & mac, original photo on Houzz
8. Try silence. Consider going without speaking during some or all of your retreat — you may be surprised how refreshing it can feel to get a break from constant chatter.
Of course, the more people in your household, the more difficult it will be. Perhaps someone else would like to participate in silence with you, or you can enjoy a silent break during the times you have the house to yourself. And, of course, talk if you really need to!
Nicola O’Mara Interior Design, original photo on Houzz
9. Unplug. If there is one thing that seems to be a given at a retreat, it’s that you disconnect your devices. No going online and no checking your phone or tablet. If you are used to being on your devices frequently, it can be a hard habit to break, but it’s worth trying!
10. Consider your media consumption. In addition to what you might be used to seeing online, consider taking a break from the magazines, newspapers and books you usually read. Be intentional about the material you choose to read or watch during your retreat. If you want to read a book or watch a film, pick one that meshes with the intention you set for the retreat.
More from Houzz:
Stock a Pantry Cabinet With Healthy Snacks
How Home Can Help You Recharge
Lamps to Brighten Your Reading Nook
Looking for a way to enjoy daily full-body massage on your retreat? Try the Human Touch Novo XT massage chair:
By increasing oxygen-rich blood to tired, sore muscles, Novo XT helps to restore your natural well being. You can also bet that the sleek, innovative design will serve as a conversation piece that captivates attention like that of your favorite sports car.
Once you’ve rejuvenated both your body and mind, you’ll experience a heightened sense of confidence, motivation, and clarity—all the tools you need be your best and keep your edge over the rest of the pack.
Fibromyalgia, a chronic musculoskeletal condition, affects nearly five million Americans and significantly more women are likely to suffer from the disease than men. The main symptom of it is experiencing pain throughout the entire body, as well as tension headaches, fatigue, stiffness and sleep disorders. Still, the cause of fibromyalgia is still unknown. As a result, those who suffer from it often have anxiety if they will find long-term pain relief.
In 1990, researchers at the American College of Rheumatology identified 18 fibromyalgia pressure points, a.k.a. tender points, that are still used to help therapists diagnose patients with this disease. People feel the tension in their skeletal muscles and in the connective muscle tissue of their body. This tension decreases fibromyalgia patients’ muscle elasticity and affects their arterial blood supply. This activates someone’s pain receptors and results in chronic pain that may not be caused by anything apparent. As a result, treating pain for fibromyalgia sufferers is difficult. The root cause of what leads to experiencing symptoms often is unknown.
The pain of fibromyalgia is only a start to the endless cycle of issues that affect a person’s central nervous system’s release of serotonin. Because of problems with releasing serotonin, patience has an increased likelihood of depression and/or mood swings. Suffering from fibromyalgia also affects the ability to achieve quality rest, which prevents the body from being able to repair itself and can further increase a patient’s depression and exhaust the body, mind and spirit.
Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia has no direct cure. However, several treatments are available to alleviate someone’s symptoms. One of the best treatments is for fibromyalgia sufferers to receive is massage therapy. Such therapy helps people get calf pain relief, decreases their stress hormones, and increases their serotonin level. With these benefits, it improves the overall sense of well-being. Special fibromyalgia massage therapy techniques also help to relax the body in order to achieve quality sleep, so the body can repair itself and start fresh for the following day. Once the body has reached homeostasis following a night of quality rest, someone can have both the mental and physical energy to address challenges throughout the next day.
Fibromyalgia and Massage Types
The best massage techniques for fibromyalgia patients combine kneading, pressure, stretching and heat. These techniques will loosen up the parts of the body that are tight and will increase someone’s mobility, allowing them to take on more physical tasks. Good techniques for fibromyalgia also increase circulation and help the body to clear out toxins within the muscles. Recommended forms of massage for fibromyalgia include:
• Swedish massage
• Passive stretching
• Sports massage
Massage Chair Benefits for Fibromyalgia Patients
Massage chairs make an excellent option for those suffering from fibromyalgia as they are the most cost-effective method for people who require regular, long-term therapy. They also make a great choice because of the convenience and availability for the user to take advantage of professional-grade therapy at any time of day, for as long as they like, and without having to leave the comfort of their home.
Some of the best massage chairs for fibromyalgia patients include:
• Super Novo massage chair
• Novo XT2 massage chair
• ZeroG 5.0 massage chair
• WholeBody® 7.1 massage chair
• iJOY® Total Massage
Massage Constraints for Fibromyalgia Patients
Those with fibromyalgia should consult their physician prior to receiving any massage therapy. They also should receive only gentle-pressure massages because their muscles can be sensitive. Once you’ve consulted a therapist and picked a necessary therapy option, make sure to avoid deep-tissue work due to its pressure intensity and muscle overstretching through the treatment process.
Patients also should stick to short sessions. Otherwise, they take a risk to feel unwanted pain after the treatment. The goal is to make your muscles relax and make them more pliable, not to make you hurt.
Massage Benefits for Fibromyalgia Patients
Here are the advantages of fibromyalgia massage therapy techniques:
1) Relaxation to improve sleep. Evening sessions help patients improve their sleep quality at night, thereby allowing the body to recover faster.
2) Improving muscle tone. Massage therapy helps to strengthen the lax muscles and restore the strength and vitality of the client’s body.
3) Improving mental clarity. Relaxation sessions help raise health awareness and reduce mental stress for patients.
4) Elimination of headaches. Improving blood flow to the brain helps alleviate the physical source of headaches for patients. In addition, having such pain relief helps to keep the patient’s mind in a healthier space.
Words cannot express my gratitude towards the Novo Massage Chair, but I will try my best to tell my brief story which I have never expressed to anyone in complete details.
I just turned 27 last week and have lived a very active life style. I grew up working in construction, racing motocross, working out etc. I was blessed at the age of 19 to meet my soulmate who I have 2 beautiful young children with. I started my own company and was living the picture perfect life up until when I started experiencing back pain. I kept powering through them thinking they would eventually pass.
After 6 months of continuing to decline I elected to see a chiropractor. After a few X-rays their opinion was there was a fracture or defect in my L5-S1 that I was born with. After some MRIs and meeting with a neurosurgeon I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, and was told that I was limited by my pain and would eventually need a spinal fusion, but was last resort due to my age.
I continued to work through the pain with the hopes one day it would start to subside. I downplayed how I felt to doctors (which was not a good idea) but at I time I thought I did not have a choice as I had an obligation to my employees, current customers and to provide for my family. I continued to do less physically but things continued to decline and I will never forget the day when things hit rock bottom.
I walked up a single flight of stairs twice to check on one of my jobs, and was in so much pain. That night my 2 year old son was crying for me to pick him up, which I could not physically do for the first time because of the pain. Listening to my wife try to explain to a 2 year that I could not pick him up absolutely crushed me, and I ended up going to the hospital in excruciating pain. I was discharged with pain meds and received an expedited appointment to see my neurosurgeon.
I met with my neurosurgeon with the hopes of immediately getting surgery but was informed to do more PT and start pain management, which I was not happy with at all as I felt I had exhausted all my options. I started dieting, having specialized physical therapy, and taking pain management all at once. I started to slowly feel better and would get massaged on my worst days, but then started getting them once a week as I realized they were helping. I realized the days after my weekly massage I felt the best and wish I could get more massages, but mentally could not bring myself to spend more on them as they were only temporary relief.
One day I was walking through Costco and noticed the massage chairs but elected just to walk by. Curiosity got the best of me and I ended up checking out Human Touch’s website. The stretch feature is what really got me wondering if it worked. I tried zero gravity massage chairs in the past at Brookstone, but never heard of one that could do a spinal stretch. I waited until the last day of the sale to take a look but had no intentions of purchasing one. I sat in the chair and 2 minutes into the massage the airbags squeezed my legs and stretched my spine while the rollers ran down and I was blown away. I stopped the massage a minute later and purchased one.
Although I have been very fortunate I am nowhere near a millionaire so I did not take the purchase of the chair lightly. Human Touch generously expedited the chair to me after I explained that I had purchased it for medical issues, and since then my quality of life has greatly improved. The chair has helped me recover faster and get the blood pumping in muscles on the tough days.
I started feeling better and better each week, and thought my recovery was the typical story until I met with my neurosurgeon for a follow up 2 months after my last appointment. The look of shock on his face about not experiencing pain and feeling great made me realize and his exact words of "you were very rough 2 months ago and whatever you are doing continue to do because it is working. You still have back problems so keep that in mind, but if you have no pain then you have no reason to see me.”
I find myself sitting on the chair answering emails on my laptop due to the comfort and I feel as I am the most relaxed and focused. Words cannot express how thankful I am to everyone at Human Touch. Your product has helped me get through one of the most challenging times in my life. I have enclosed a photo of myself using the chair, playing with my son, so others can see this is a real story. I am able to now enjoy doing things with my family that pain prevented me from doing before.
Robert O'Neil
Cape Coral, FL
Human Touch was recently able to donate a massage chair to Peyton White, who lives in Texas. Peyton and his mother, Lynne, plan to conduct a study to determine the effects that a massage chair will have on Peyton’s Autism, including regular updates from Peyton where he will discuss the results from his perspective. We are excited to follow along with Peyton on his journey, and invite you to join us with his updates as well! Here is an excerpt from Peyton’s latest post:
A couple weeks ago, I got a new Human Touch massage chair. It helps me reduce anxiety, get rid of muscle soreness and have better sleep at night. When I sleep better, it helps me with my autism, as I don’t stress as much. When I do stress, I sit in the chair, and it helps me calm down. I use the massage chair about 2 or 3 times a day. My favorite parts of the massage chair are using foot and calf and rolling and kneading which really makes me relax to help me become confident. While I’m sitting and relaxing on the massage chair, I can study my notes when I’m worried about a quiz or test so that I’ll do better at it. Whenever I’m stressed or need a better sleep, I sit on the massage chair for 15-25 minutes. I just wanted to tell you how awesome and comfortable my chair is and how much it is already helping me.
Read Peyton’s Full Blog Post Here.
We’re pleased to share this post from Peyton White, who is conducting a research study on the effects that his Human Touch massage chair has on his Autism. This original post can be found on his blog here. Being Autistic sometimes I have trouble sleeping, and that isn’t good. The Reason why sleeping is important is because it helps you be healthier and increase your brain function to positively think and learn. It also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. When having little sleep, people feel less positive and can have a rough day at school or work. Having 2 or 3 hours of sleep is never a good thing to do at night, especially when you have to focus. When having too much sleep, it can also increase the risk of having heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Having proper sleep actually helps people do well in sports, quizzes, math and music and more. A short period of sleeping is called a nap, many people take something called a “power nap” during the day. Naps also help people become healthy and increase their brain function. The difference between sleep and nap are that sleep is for nighttime and people usually spend 8-11 hours of sleeping and nap is usually for daytime and people spend at least 30-90 minutes of napping. Why am I telling you all of this? Because sleep is very important for me, so I can focus better. When I focus, I learn better and have fewer meltdowns. Every day and night, I sit in my massage chair to help me calm down, it helps me have good sleep at night and do well on my schoolwork. I did very well on my final quizzes after I sat in my massage chair and studied my notes before I took my final tests. When I relax I make better eye contact, speak well and become more aware, as well as get a good night’s sleep. Before I go to bed, I watch something on TV in the media room and sit in my massage chair to relax. I turn on the programs and sometimes have the lights off a bit, turn on the massage chair and relax. This helps me get ready for bed and allows me to sleep sound. I love having this massage chair as it is helping me in so many ways.
Back-to-School is a busy, exciting time for most families. It means new friends, new teachers, and new schedules for all. It also means that kids are exposed to a lot of new ideas, activities, and… germs. And while we can’t monitor their every move during school hours (they have to grow up sometime, right?), we can do a few things to ensure that they don’t suffer too much through Cold Season.
Keep Them Well While They’re Away.
One of the most important things you can do is to teach your children how to properly wash their hands. According to Web MD, only 33% of female middle and high school students use soap when they wash their hands. That number drops to a frightening 8% of boys in the same age group. Yikes! Most illnesses are contracted when kids get germs on their hands and then touch their eyes or nose, so teach them that they are best off just avoiding contact with these parts of their face unless they’ve cleaned their hands first. Instill healthy habits by teaching them to wash their hands for approximately 20 seconds, and make sure that they always, always, always wash their hands before they eat food. Using hand sanitizer is another way to help your children avoid school-time illnesses. Kids older than 6 years old can be allowed to use sanitizer to keep hands free of germs, though visible dirt should still be cleaned off with soap. Some schools provide sanitizer for their students, while others may even allow kids to bring a travel-sized sanitizer. Find what is permitted or provided at your child’s school. Your child should also know the proper way to cough or sneeze- into his or her elbow crease. Doing this keeps germs off their hands, which helps to stop germs in their tracks.
Get Involved.
Another way to help keep your child well is to help his or her school to maintain a germ-free environment. Some schools struggle to afford wellness products for their classrooms, so get involved by offering to donate tissues, hand sanitizer, soap, or anti-bacterial wipes. This also helps you to engage with the administration on what is being done to keep kids healthy, and opens the conversation to allow further discussion on how parents can help make their kids’ schools clean and safe.
Do Your Part.
Of course, keeping your child healthy at home is the primary way to keep them well. Make sure that they get enough vitamins, sleep, and exercise to maintain a healthy immune system. Keeping your home free of dust and mold are also critical to keep everyone healthy. And it goes without saying that keeping YOURSELF well is important. Running yourself ragged and having too much stress on your own body will not only increase the likelihood of you becoming sick yourself, but also impair you from giving 100% of your chicken soup-making, VapoRub™-soothing, bedtime-cuddling self.
Long Beach, CA –Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® Recliners, and other wellness solutions, has announced plans to place its ZeroG® 5.0 Massage Chairs in select Massage Envy franchised locations across the country.
Also, as a commitment to helping massage therapists recover after providing a Wellness Massage service, they will be encouraged to use the chairs, as well as Human Touch Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massagers installed in break rooms, to rest and rejuvenate between appointments.
Members and guests also can use the chairs free of charge, complementing the hands-on care therapists provide. The chairs will offer therapeutic seating in select Massage Envy franchised locations’ tranquility room, so clients can begin to relax before their appointment or extend the benefits of massage after their service.
“Regular massage helps us take care of our bodies with proven, lasting effects,” said Beth Stiller, Chief Commercial Officer of Massage Envy. “This new program with Human Touch is especially important for therapists, who are compassionate caregivers, and who also need to take care of themselves. We believe the chairs will enhance the Massage Envy experience, and give therapists, members and guests another way to include massage in well-rounded health and wellness routine.”
Massage Envy franchise owners can also sell discounted Human Touch massage products directly to their members for in-home use. These home sessions have been shown to enhance the benefits of regular, professional massage therapy sessions.
“Our new partnership with Massage Envy serves as a way to enhance their members’ massage therapy sessions and the value of their membership,” said David Wood, CEO of Human Touch. “Studies show that a large number of clients already enjoy the benefits of combining chair massage with professional massage. We’re confident that Massage Envy members will discover these same results, allowing them to maximize their potential and feel their best.”
Rejuvenate with the ZeroG 5.0 Massage Chair
The ZeroG 5.0 massage chair provides a remarkable full-body massage using Human Touch Technology® specifically designed to enhance the way you feel. The Smart 3D FlexGlide® massage engine simulates the expert techniques of massage professionals to help restore your body and leave you relaxed and ready to live life to its fullest. Take a seat, recline to zero-gravity, and simply point to where you need relief on the revolutionary BodyMap PRO® remote. Other features include four auto-massage programs, a foot and calf massager, and soothing lumbar heat technology. Enjoy these impressive features bundled into the most modern massage chair designed for any luxury living space.
Soothe your Soles with the Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massager
The Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massager delivers a remarkably life-like massage that emulates the expert hands and techniques of highly trained massage therapists. It massages the calves in an upward, rolling or wave-like fashion, using a patented CirQlation® technology developed by Human Touch that incorporates proprietary mechanics to drive its robotic actuators. The Reflex6 also offers an on-board console, patented Warm Air Technology®, and adjustable tilt for relief from multiple angles.
About Human Touch
Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have been delivering indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for more than 35 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today’s hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
About Massage Envy
Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor, and through its franchise locations, is the leading provider of therapeutic massage and skincare services. With its membership model, Massage Envy believes total body care is an integral part of everyone’s well-being journey. The Massage Envy franchise system is, collectively, the largest employer of massage therapists and estheticians, with more than 25,000 dedicated professionals that provide best-in-class service to over 1.65 million members. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has more than 1,100 franchise locations in 49 states that have together delivered more than 100 million massages and facials. The company was recently ranked by Forbes as the No. 1 Best Franchise with an initial investment of $500,001 and up. For more information, visit www.MassageEnvy.com, or follow us on Twitter @MassageEnvy and Facebook www.facebook.com/MassageEnvy.