THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PAMPERED

That hot stone massage feels oh-so good on your aching back, and that aromatherapy facial makes your skin baby-bottom soft. But did you know that those pamper sessions are aiding in your overall health and wellness, too?

Mess of Stress
Stress wreaks havoc on our lives, and our health certainly isn’t exempt. “Probably 80 percent of my patients come in for conditions that are at least exacerbated by stress, and I have a decent number that come in for adrenal fatigue, which is a fancy way of saying they’ve been doing way too much for way too long,” says Dr. Lauren Deville, a Tucson-based naturopathic doctor. “I treat them medically of course, but one of the principles of naturopathic medicine is to treat the root cause. Pampering is one terrific way to do that.” By stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, massage and other forms of pampering lowers the stress hormone, cortisol, explains Dr. Suneil Jain of Scottsdale’s Rejuvena Health & Aesthetics. Thus, a monthly, or so, spa visit can possibly reduce one’s risk of heart disease and cancer, two ailments that have been linked to stress. “People tend to feel less guilty about [being pampered] when they can say they’re doing it under doctor’s orders,” Dr. Deville says.