Massaging the Figures

On my original 50 List was 'colonic irrigation', also known as colon hydrotherapy, which I have been told is an effective treatment for removing toxins from the body, and makes you feel empty and cleansed.

But there are other opinions as to the claims for this treatment, and since it is expensive, I decided to swap this for 'Full Body Massage'.

Bannatyne gym was doing a half-price offer in the spa for my birthday, so on Tuesday 12th November 2013 I went in for a full body Swedish Massage.

I was taken into the spa rooms, and then a lovely calm room with a trolley bed. This room had low lighting, soft music playing, and fairy lights in a vase.

 The therapist was a lovely lady who put me at my ease immediately, when I explained that I had never had a massage, and did not know what to expect. She left the room after asking me to strip down to my underpants, and I lay face-down on the bed. There was a hole for my face to peek through on the bed, making it easy to breathe, and ensuring that I did not feel claustrophobic.

The therapist used aromatherapy oils with a gorgeous smell, and massaged my back, arms, legs, neck and  shoulders. She was gentle but strong, and she discovered huge knots in my shoulders that needed a lot of work - I was not at all surprised about this, I had been feeling pain and discomfort there for a while. She used powerful strokes and I knew this was working for me, my muscles relaxed and unwound. She explained what she was doing at appropriate times, and I asked questions, but mostly I wanted silence, without unnecessary chit-chat.

The whole experience was wonderful, at no time did I feel awkward or embarrassed since she was careful to keep me covered by the towels or bedding, apart from the area being worked upon. Afterwards I walked taller, smiled longer, held myself more upright instead of my usual slouch, and walked up stairs easier. I would love to be able to afford this therapy every month! The experience was well worth doing, a most pleasant time and I recommend it highly.