You know this. You read my blog and know that part of my services include me kneading, squeezing, push-pulling, stretching and in some cases slapping or "cupping" (don't let your mind slip into the gutter; it's a legitimate technique) my clients' muscles into submission. After all, I am a licensed massage therapist. My "magic hands" aside though, there is a science to what I do. In fact there is more and more research being done to support the fact that massage is more than a feel good way for people to pamper themselves; massage is good medicine. But, how does it work? The Wall Street Journal recently published an article listing a variety of tangible health benefits of massage. For example, one study discovered that cortisol levels could be reduced by as little as a 45-minute massage. As you may know; cortisol is the stress hormone contributing to a long list of diseases from obesity to heart attacks. Another study suggests that in as little a...