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Compulsive Eating and Addiction – New Study Shows Link

April 26, 2010 by workingwellresources

Saratoga chips at the Mississippi State Fair i...
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By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Having a hard time switching from potato chips to carrots? You are not alone! As people in our country continue to grow more and more obese, many research scientists are putting in long hours to investigate biological causes. Last month, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute issued a report that shows -definitively, for the first time- that the same biological processes that cause drug addiction are behind the compulsion to overeat. Many obese people have been making this statement for years–that they feel out of control after eating junk food, and the more they eat, the more they want.

In the study, scientists monitored brain chemicals in rats, noticing that as the rats got more obese, their brains were less and less able to issue a reward to the body. As this pleasure center in the brain became less and less responsive, the rats developed the tendency to overeat, seeking that chemical reward. This is the exact same pattern that occurs in rats that are administered cocaine or heroin, and scientists believe that the pattern plays a large part in the development of drug dependency.

Paul J. Kenny, an Associate Professor at Scripps, conducted the study. He says that the nearly three year long study confirms the “addictive” properties of junk food:

“The new study, unlike our preliminary abstract, explains what happens in the brain of these animals when they have easy access to high-calorie, high-fat food. It presents the most thorough and compelling evidence that drug addiction and obesity are based on the same underlying neurobiological mechanisms. In the study, the animals completely lost control over their eating behavior, the primary hallmark of addiction. They continued to overeat even when they anticipated receiving electric shocks, highlighting just how motivated they were to consume the palatable food.”

The scientists offered the rats many types of food, but they always chose “junk” food. As a test, the researchers removed the junk food and tried to put them on a nutritious diet. Their preference for junk food was so strong, however, that they starved themselves for nearly two weeks.

To read the entire article, visit the original Press Release.

So if anyone tells you junk food is not addicting, think again. And pass the carrots!

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Gratitude Can Provide Stress Relief

April 23, 2010 by workingwellresources

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 1
Image by aussiegall via Flickr

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Remember the old adage, to “count your blessings” as  a tool to feel better about your self and your life? Did you know that maintaining an actively grateful personality can actually provide stress relief?

Robert Emmons at the University of California, Davis and Michael E. McCullough from the University of Miami have maintained a study that attempts to help its participants develop methods to cultivate gratitude in daily life and assess that gratitude’s effect on well-being. They say of the project:

“Gratitude is the “forgotten factor” in happiness research.  We are engaged in a long-term research project designed to create and disseminate a large body of novel scientific data on the nature of gratitude, its causes, and its potential consequences for human health and well-being. Scientists are latecomers to the concept of gratitude.  Religions and philosophies have long embraced gratitude as an indispensable manifestation of virtue, and an integral component of health, wholeness, and well-being.  Through conducting highly focused, cutting-edge studies on the nature of gratitude, its causes, and its consequences, we hope to shed important scientific light on this important concept.”

In the research, the scientists had all participants keep diaries of their lives. One of the groups was instructed to specifically look for the positive things that had happened to them that day, and one was instructed to keep a diary as they normally might. Emmons and McCullough discovered that their participants showed a clear correlation between those who kept a “gratitude journal” and a number of positive factors, including exercising regularly, reporting fewer physical symptoms, feeling better about their lives as a whole, and feeling more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events.  Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions.

Not convinced? They also reported that a daily gratitude intervention (self-guided exercises) with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison (ways in which participants thought they were better off than others).

Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com’s Stress Management Guide, reminds us that “although we are born with specific tempermental tendencies, the brain is a muscle, and you can strengthen your mind’s natural tendency toward optimism if you work at it.”

Scott offers some helpful suggestions for how to encourage gratitude in your own life:

  • Make Gentle Reminders – When you notice yourself beginning to feel negative, try to think of 4 or 5 related things for which you are grateful.
  • Be Careful With Comparisons – Focus on yourself, and stop comparing what you have and do to other people.
  • Keep a Gratitude Journal – Make it a habit to remind yourself of good things that happen to you every day.

Sue’s Gratitude List

I notice that when I am more consciously grateful of all the good things I have in my life: my family, my friends, my work, my clients, my health, my ability to travel and hike and see wonderful natural beauty as well as the Internet and all the “Dick Tracy” gizmo’s we now have to entertain and communicate, I have much better days and a happier demeaner!

I am grateful you are reading my blog!  Start your own gratitude list today and see how you feel. Just list 10 things you are grateful for. Share them with us in the comments if you feel inspired!

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Grow Your Own Urban Garden–Learn How Sunday, April 25 in Chicago

April 21, 2010 by workingwellresources

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Certified Wellness Coach, ASCM Personal Trainer

Thinking about growing some of your own vegatables or herbs but not sure how to start? This Saturday, Appetite for Balance, a Chicago holistic nutrition group, and We Farm, is sponsoring the first a FREE Sunday in a series of Urban Gardening and Organic Nutrition classes. The First Party is on  April 25th and they will be teaching about garden mapping, seeding and easy sprouting. Walk away with tools on how to do it yourself and why is is good for your health and your pocket book! RSVP here or here.

Last Year's Urban Farming Party Pics

All parties will be loaded with give-a-way(s), gardening tips, food demos, holistic nutrition, hands-on workshops, sustainable food/beverage, and FUN in the sun! So, grab a friend (or two) and join Appetite for Balance for a Sunday afternoon of digging and chewing!

Invite details:

Check out the Appetite for Balance blog here.

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Something Special for Expectant Mothers–Prenatal Massage Tips

April 20, 2010 by workingwellresources

Image courtesy of Birth Balance Blog

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Prenatal massage therapy is an area that is generating more and more research. Right now a few of my massage clients are pregnant. I thought I’d share some of the tips on prenatal massage with you that I share with them!

Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Pregnancy Today’s Kelly Lott, RMT, suggests that, in addition to feeling good, prenatal massage therapy can have other benefits for the mom-to-be and her baby, too.  “A study conducted by Dr. Tiffany Field at the University of Miami School of Medicine showed that massage actually reduces stress hormones in the body. Touch is vital to the mother’s physical and emotional well-being as she adapts to her new body image. Regardless of individual circumstances, a pregnant woman’s body is challenged, changed and stressed in many ways. Massage gives special attention to the mother-to-be, which in turn nurtures the new life that grows within her.”

In addition, other benefits include:

  • Relieves swelling/edema in legs
  • Reduces low back pain
  • Relieves muscle soreness and pain in neck and shoulder area
  • Gives mothers-to-be a place to be pampered, to relax and feel nurtured!
  • And according to Shirley Vanderbilt at MassageTherapy.com, “Recent studies from the Touch Research Institute (TRI) in Miami, Fla., indicates that pregnancy massage provides more than just symptom relief for the mother. A group of 26 pregnant women were given either massage or relaxation therapy during a five-week study. In addition to experiencing a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, stress, sleep problems and back pain, the massage group had fewer complications in their delivery. Their newborns also had fewer postnatal complications. Another TRI study reported massage during labor resulted in shorter labor times for the mothers, shorter hospital stays and less postpartum depression.” (Read more from Shirley Vanderbilt on Pregnancy Massage at massagetherapy.com here.)

Cautions for Prenatal Massage

There are, however, times when expectant mothers should avoid seeking massage therapy. Because of the increased risk for miscarriage in the first trimester, it is commonly recommended to wait until second or third trimesters to explore prenatal massage. If an expectant mother is experiencing any of the following complications or conditions, she should abstain from prenatal massage as well:

  • heavy discharge (watery or bloody);
  • diabetes;
  • contagious illness;
  • fever;
  • vomiting;
  • unusual pain;
  • preeclampsia;
  • high blood pressure;
  • morning sickness;
  • abdominal pain;
  • diarrhea;
  • any malignant condition.

Additionally, areas of the body that should not be massaged include:

  • skin rashes, open sores, bruises
  • raised or distended varicose veins
  • Points on the hand between the thumb and index finger*
  • Points on the inside of the lower leg about 4 inches above the inner ankle bone*

*These are accupressure points thought to stimulate contractions and labor

Prenatal Massage Positioning

For table massage, pregnant women should not lie on their stomachs. Prenatal massage should be done with the mother to be in a side lying position, usually hugging  a body pillow. Some massage therapists will also use a body cushion system that allows the mother-to-be to lay face down with her belly supported by the pillows. Pregnant women love this pillow because ti allows them to lay face down without any pressure on their bellies. However, there is some concern that this body cushion position may over stretch ligaments in the woman’s abdomen and some massage therapists (myself included) prefer to avoid the risk and use the side lying position exclusively.

For chair massage, most massage chairs have a “pregnancy bolster” which allows the expectant mother to sit in the chair without putting any pressure on her belly. The massage chairs at Working Well massage stations are designed to move the breast plate high enough to that the expectant mother’s belly is under the breastplate.

Finding a Good Prenatal Massage Therapist

Massage therapists must be certified in prenatal massage to perform prenatal massage. If you already see a massage therapist, ask him or her if they have this certification or if they can refer you to a massage therapist that does. If you are in Chicago, I, myself, am certified in prenatal massage and I also know of several massage therapists with prenatal certification I can recommend.

To find a reputable prenatal massage therapist in the US, visit the Association of Bodywork and Massage Professional’s massage locator service here. Or visit the National Massage Therapy Certification Board and search for ‘pregnancy massage.’

Read more at Suite101: Benefits of Prenatal Massage: When and Why to Get a Massage During Pregnancy

Read “12 Reasons to Administer Prenatal Massage Therapy” here.

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Check Out The Energy Training Center–A Personal Training Gym

April 19, 2010 by workingwellresources

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellnenss Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

ETC in First Floor of Kendall Collage Building

In the past few years I’ve noticed  a trend in personal training: Gyms or centers that ONLY provide personal training. I recently spent some time in a really interesting such facility in Chicago– ETC (Energy Training Center). It’s a private, exclusive personal training facility geared towards personal trainers who are passionate about wellness. It’s not a gym or a fitness club. ETC is a personal trainers only center: You can only workout there with a personal trainer, not on your own. The advantage to this is: higher quality trainers and a clean, less crowded workout space!

One of my massage therapist/personal trainers led me through a few sessions at ETC to show me his trainer methods. I really enjoyed not only his training style but the center itself. It’s a but pricey (You pay for each session versus a monthly membership), but for those that can afford it, ETC is a nice alternative to packed gyms.

The concept here is simple: ETC wants its customers to achieve the best they can in health and wellness and wants the customers to work personally with experts to achieve these goals. ETC owners describes the center as “a facility for personal trainers and their clients, who desire a positive environment, first class amenities and service, high standards of fitness, education, and most of all results.”

ETC

Located on the first floor of the same building that houses Kendall College (On Halsted just North of Chicago), ETC offers a number of services and amenities:

  • A state-of-the-art 7,000 sq. ft. training facility equipped with bio-mechanically correct equipment featuring LifeFitness, Hammer Strength, IronGrip and Stairmaster.

    • Inside Energy Training Center

    ETC has ample cardio equipment for your warmup!

  • Complimentary unlimited secure parking
  • Complimentary towel and filtered water system
  • Full shower amenities in locker room including cable television and courtesy phones

    • Woman's locker room at ETC

  • Locker rooms and training floor sanitized daily
  • Open floor area for functional training and other sport specific movements

    • Great view of the river at ETC while you workout!

  • Fitness evaluation room
  • Complimentary coffee/tea service
  • Outdoor riverside training area available
  • Also available: massage therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapists, and MAT specialists

    • Massage Room at ETC-Before or after your workout

Interested in learning more? Visit their Facebook page, visit them or contact them directly:

900 N. Branch St.
Chicago, IL 60622

(312) 377-4170
EnergyTC@aol.com

Front door of Energy Training Center


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Dare To Hike Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin

April 18, 2010 by workingwellresources

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Hiking up the rocky "steps" is a great workout

A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to spend a few warm summer-like days in Wisconsin at the Wisconsin Dells. When I was  a child, my family used to take me and my brother to the

Dells and I have fond memories of lakes, hiking, go carts, haunted houses and, of course, Tommy Barlett’s water show with water skiers skiing in human pyramids.  Visiting again now so many years later, “the Dells,” as they are known to the initiated, are now a haven for water parks and other amusements. However, my man and I are always up for a bit of nature and hiking so we soon grew tired of the amusement park strip and headed to Devil’s Lake to hike up and down what we think of as a mini Yosemite, Devil’s Lake. Like much of Wisconsin, this region was created by glacial formations and so has a lot of very rocky terrain and tall cliffs to hike and rock climb.

The day we were at the lake, March 31, the weather was warm, about 75 degrees F, and we saw kayakers out on the lake as well! Many families and couples were out that day. We hiked from about noon to 6pm and at sundown the views of the lake from high on the cliffs were spectacular. I’m sharing some of our pics from that day’s hike to help entice you to make your own journey to this beautiful natural park, unusually hilly (I’d say Mini-mountains is more like it) for the Midwest.  You don’t have to go far to find cliffs and rocks and lakes–Devils’ Lake is just about 3 hours Northwest of Chicago, about 30 minutes North of Madison, WI.

For info on Devils’ Lake, click here.

For directions, click here. Devil’s Lake State Park address: S5975 Park Rd., Baraboo WI 53913-9299 Phone (608) 356-8301

Fees

For an out-of state resident, a one day pass is $7. For an out-of-state annual pass, it’s $35. Camping is available at Devils Lake as well, click here.

View of Devil's Lake from East Bluff nearly at the top of the cliff

As we started our hike, we met one of the Park’s “rangers” as he and his companion started off on a kayaking trip around the lake.

What a great job! Manage the Park and go kayaking at lunch!

The water was cold, but soon will be a great place to swim!

The day we went was a pretty windy day, so you mostly hear wind instead of the relaxing waves lapping at the shore, but this short video gives you a nice view of the lake from the water’s edge.

While we were hiking, we passed several groups of people practicing their rock climbing skills on walls of rock.

Rock climbers taking a break

We spent 6 hours hiking up and down different areas of the East Bluff Trail. The hike was fairly strenuous in parts because we choose routes that took up up and down the rocks to really challenge our cardiovascular systems and of course our calves! (Which were good and sore the next day)

No, this is not Yosemite, California, it’s Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin!

Sundown at Devil's Lake, WI

And at the end of our long day hiking, instead of relaxing in a nice jacuzzi, we decided to head over to the indoor waterpark Mount Olympus at Hotel Rome where we were staying. We spent two more hours climbing up and down stairs so we could slide down long winding water slides. In one day we gave our bodies and our minds a lot to enjoy!

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Get Moving With Easy Exercise Videos

April 15, 2010 by workingwellresources

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Check out these Easy Exercise videos for women who are beginners, baby boomers and seniors from Mirabai! Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health and Fitness industry. She Specializes in Easy Exercise Videos and Medical Exercise Videos for Women. She has: Easy Exercise videos for beginners, Easy Exercise videos for Baby Boomers, Easy Exercise videos for Seniors, and Easy Medical Exercise videos. Mirabai uses her Moving Free® Easy Exercise Technique on all her videos. Moving Free® with Mirabai doesn’t feel like work!Watch Video

Who is Mirabi and Why Should We Check Out her Videos?

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the health & Fitness Industry and a public health activist who specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. She is the creator of the Skeletal Fitness by Mirabai Holland®: A Workout For Your Bones, Fabulous Forever® Easy Aerobics, and Fabulous Forever® Easy Stretch: Flexibility and Stress Reduction home exercise videos.

New York Magazine once called her the “best aerobics teacher in New York City”. Mirabai has made numerous TV appearances as a Health & fitness expert including the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Nightly News, and a Nationally Syndicated Women’s Health Series produced by ABC. As a free-lance journalist for the New York Times, American Health, First For Women, and trade magazines like IDEA Today, Metro Sports, Club Industry and Fitness Management, Holland’s writing has reached over 20 million readers.

About MirabaiHer Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work. Virtually anyone can ease into the best shape of their life by simply Moving Free® along with Mirabai.

She is an active volunteer of the American Heart Association and has been on their committee on Preventive Cardiology and the Women’s Heart Initiative.

As a consultant for Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, she designed the Women’s heart exercise protocol for their Cardiac Rehabilitation Phase II Program. She also designed the exercise program for Rutgers University College of Nursing entitled ” A Culturally Attuned Exercise Intervention for Coronary Heart Disease At-Risk Minority Women and Children.

Mirabai is a Contributor to the National Arthritis Foundation’s PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) manual. She served four years as chairperson of the American Council On Exercise (ACE) Exercise Instructor Examination Committee.

She has been a speaker at major health and fitness organizations and corporations including Forbes, Time Warner, American Heart Association, Education Coalition of the NJ Interagency Council on Osteoporosis, National Wellness Association, NJ Foundation of Aging, National Arthritis Foundation, NIKE Women’s’ Symposium, The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine, Metro Sports, HIRSA, Club Industry, IDEA, East Coast Alliance, AAHPERD, Mind Body & Medicine and Women’s Health Symposium and the 92nd Street Y in New York City.

She is certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the Aquatic Exercise Association, holds 2 certifications by the American College of Sports Medicine (A.C.S.M.), and a Medical Exercise Specialist certification from the American Academy of Health and Fitness Professionals.

Currently, she is Director of Fitness and Wellness Programs at the 92nd Street Y, in New York City.

Note: Neither I, Sue Shekut, nor Working Well Massage is affiliated with Mirabai or her videos in  any way. I just found her info and thought I’d share it with my loyal readers! Enjoy!

Check out Mirabai’s Videos:

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The Amendment to Chicago’s Massage Establishment Act was Defeated Today!!!

April 14, 2010 by workingwellresources

Thank You
Image by jaredchapman via Flickr

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Thanks to the overwhelmingly negative reaction of massage therapists and the public, including those of you on this blog that wrote or emailed your alderman, today Chicago City Council defeated the proposed amendment to the Massage Establishment Act.

Link to Chicago Tribune  article about today’s vote here.

Thank you so very very much for taking the time to make your concerns heard. The AMTA and the ABMP are continuing to work with our aldermen to address the issue of massage “parlors” without causing harm to legitimate massage therapy businesses.

Thanks you, thank you, thank you!

Now back to wellness, stress management, nutrition, fitness and ergonomic topics!

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Simple Workday Stretches

April 13, 2010 by workingwellresources

Stretching throughout the workday is essential for good health.

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ASCM Personal Trainer

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’ve been sitting at a computer for an extended period of time.  Did you know that sitting still for a long time can cause serious health damage? OSHA says that maintaining static postures, such as viewing the monitor, for a prolonged period of time without taking a break can fatigue the muscles of the neck and shoulder that support the head. Additionally, OSHA recommends that repetitive tasks or jobs that require long periods of static posture incorporate several, short rest breaks (micro breaks or rest pauses). During these breaks you should stand, stretch, and move around. This provides rest and allows the muscles enough time to recover. Read the excerpt from Susan Seliger”s article “Stretching Exercises at Your Desk: 12 Simple Tips” at WebMD for a few of the stretches you can easily perform in your workplace to keep limber throughout the day.

Stretching Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk

  1. Just stand up and sit down — no hands
    • You might have gotten a gold star in preschool for sitting still, but it just goes to show you (best sellers notwithstanding) that not all of us learned everything we need to know in kindergarten. “If you stand up and sit down (over and over) — without using your hands — it can be a challenge,” says Smith. It’s like doing mini-squats!
  2. Substitute exercise for sitting — while you work
    • Get rid of your desk chair and substitute an exercise ball, suggests Smith. “I used it for a while when I was having low-back problems; it was great,” Smith says. “All day you are engaging all the muscles in the back, legs, butt, everything, to stay balanced.”
  3. Shrug your shoulders — to release the neck and shoulders
    • Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders, lifting them high up to your ears. Hold. Release and drop. Repeat three times.
    • Shake your head slowly, yes and no.
  4. Loosen the hands with air circles
    • Clench both fists, stretching both hands out in front of you.
    • Make circles in the air, first in one direction, to the count of ten.
    • Then reverse the circles.
    • Shake out the hands.
  5. Point your fingers — good for hands, wrist, and forearms
    • Stretch your left hand out in front of you, pointing fingers toward the floor. Use your right hand to increase the stretch, pushing your fingers down and toward the body. Be gentle.
    • Do the same with the other hand.
    • Now stretch your left hand out straight in front, wrist bent, with fingers pointing skyward. Use your right hand to increase the stretch, pulling the fingers back toward your body.
    • Do the same on the other side.
  6. Release the upper body with a torso twist
    • Inhale and as you exhale, turn to the right and grab the back of your chair with your right hand, and grab the arm of the chair with your left.
    • With eyes level, use your grasp on the chair to help twist your torso around as far to the back of the room as possible. Hold the twist and let your eyes continue the stretch — see how far around the room you can peer.
    • Slowly come back to facing forward.
    • Repeat on the other side.
  7. Do leg extensions — work the abs and legs
    • Grab the seat of your chair to brace yourself and extend your legs straight out in front of you so they are parallel to the floor.
    • Flex and point your toes five times. Release.
    • Repeat.
  8. Stretch your back with a “big hug”
    • Hug your body, placing the right hand on your left shoulder and the left hand on your right shoulder.
    • Breathe in and out, releasing the area between your shoulder blades.
  9. Cross your arms — for the shoulders and upper back
    • Extend one arm out straight in front of you. With the other hand, grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles.
    • Hold. Release.
    • Stretch out the other arm in front of you — repeat.
  10. Stretch your back and shoulders with a “leg hug”
    • Sit on the edge of your chair (if it has wheels, wedge the chair against the desk or wall to make sure it does not roll). Put your feet together, flat on the floor.
    • Lean over, chest to knees, letting your arms dangle loosely to the floor. Release your neck.
    • Now bring your hands behind your legs, right hand grasping left wrist, forearm (or elbow if you can reach that far), left hand grasping the right. Feel the stretch in your back, shoulders and neck. Hold.
    • Release your hands to the floor again.
    • Repeat three times or as often as it feels good.
  11. Look up to release upper body
    • Sit up tall in your chair, or stand up. Stretch your arms overhead and interlock your fingers.
    • Turn the palms to the ceiling as you lift your chin up, tilt your head back, and gaze up at the ceiling, too.
    • Inhale, exhale, release.
  12. Substitute walks for email — and don’t eat at your desk
    • Instead of emailing a colleague “and copying 25 people who don’t want to be copied anyway,” Smith says, “walk over to the colleague you really want to talk to.”

    Read the rest of the article at WebMD.

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Help Us Keep Massage Therapy in Safe Areas in Chicago!!!

April 12, 2010 by workingwellresources

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

It is with a very sad and heavy heart that I write this post. This morning, the City of Chicago’s Committee on Zoning passed the amendment to the zoning ordinance that would restrict  “massage establishments” to B-3 and C Zones despite testimony from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), a representative from Massage Envy and other Chicago massage therapists.

The amendment is now slated to for a full vote before the full Chicago City Council on Wednesday, April 14th that would immediately enact the ordinance.

The AMTA Illinois Chapter and I, and all the licensed massage therapists I know, continue to strongly oppose the amendment. The amendment is discriminatory and does not address the issue of illicit activity, the purported impetus of the original zoning amendment. And the worst part yet is the amendment does not allow legitimate massage establishments to operate in B-1 and B-2 districts (safe and busy retail districts where you can now enjoy your massages). It is still unclear if this means that 100’s of legitimate massage business in Chicago will have to relocate or go out of business!!!

WE CAN STILL STOP THIS AMENDMENT, BUT YOU MUST ACT TODAY! Time is running out! We have less than 36 hours for all fifty Chicago Alderman to hear us loud and clear.

On Tuesday April 13, please call, e-mail and write to the alderman where you live, work or patronize a massage therapy clinic !

We really need YOUR help, fellow Chicagoans! Please take just a few minutes to call or email your alderman or alderwoman today. Ask them to support legitimate, licensed massage therapists and local economies citywide and Vote NO to this amendment to the zoning ordinance!

Here is a sample email you can cut and paste or use and modify in your own words:

“As a client of a legitimate massage therapy business, I implore you to oppose the amendment to limit massage therapy establishments to only B-3 and C Zoning Districts.  I value the health care benefits of massage and do not want my legitimate massage therapist penalized for the actions of a few illegal massage parlor operators. I visit my massage therapist in a safe convenient location. I do not want to have to travel to an industrial corridor to get massage therapy. Approving this amendment to the Massage Establishment Act will put a huge financial strain on legitimate massage therapy businesses if they are forced to relocate, would make it unnecessarily difficult for new massage therapists to open a business, and could increase the city’s unemployment by putting legitimate massage therapists out of work.  It will not damage illegal massage parlors–it will only make it easier for them sell their illegal services in less populated areas. And it will hurt legitimate massage businesses and make it less safe for them to provide therapeutic, legitimate massage therapy to tax paying citizens like me. Please oppose this amendment.”

Feel free to cut and paste our sample email or write your own. I appreciate your help on this important issue!

City of Chicago Alderman Names and Emails by Ward

1st Ward Proco Joe Moreno ward01@cityofchicago.org
2nd Ward Robert Fioretti ward02@cityofchicago.org
3rd Ward Pat Dowell Pat.Dowell@cityofchicago.org
4th Ward Toni Preckwinkle tpreckwinkle@cityofchicago.org
5th Ward Leslie Hairston lhairston@cityofchicago.org
6th Ward Freddrenna Lyle flyle@cityofchicago.org
7th Ward Sandi Jackson Sandi.Jackson@cityofchicago.org
8th Ward Michelle Harris mharris@cityofchicago.org
9th Ward Anthony Beale abeale@cityofchicago.org
10th Ward John Pope jpope@cityofchicago.org
11th Ward James Balcer jbalcer@cityofchicago.org
12th Ward George Cardenas ward12@cityofchicago.org
13th Ward Frank Olivo (Zoning Committee Member) folivo@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 581-8000  City Hall Phone: (312) 744-3076
14th Ward Edward Burke (Zoning Committee Member) eburke@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: 773-471-1414  City Hall Phone: 312-744-3380
15th Ward Toni Foulkes Toni.Foulkes@cityofchicago.org
16th Ward JoAnn Thompson JoAnn.Thompson@cityofchicago.org
17th Ward Latasha Thomas (Zoning Committee Member) lrthomas@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: 773-723-0908 City Hall Phone: 312-744-7738
18th Ward Lona Lane ward18@cityofchicago.org
19th Ward Virginia Rugai vrugai@cityofchicago.org
20th Ward Willie Cochran Willie.Cochran@cityofchicago.org
21st Ward Howard Brookins ward21@cityofchicago.org
22nd Ward Ricardo Munoz rmunoz@cityofchicago.org
23rd Ward Michael Zalewski mzalewski@cityofchicago.org
24th Ward Sharon Dixon Sharon.Dixon@cityofchicago.org
25th Ward Daniel Solis (Zoning Committee Chair) dsolis@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 523-4100 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-6845
26th Ward Roberto Maldonado Contact by Phone 773 395-0143
27th Ward Walter Burnett wburnett@cityofchicago.org
28th Ward Ed Smith (Zoning Committee Member) ehsmith@cityofchicago.org
29th Ward Deborah Graham Contact by Phone (312) 744-8805
30th Ward Ariel Reboyras ward30@cityofchicago.org
31st Ward Ray Suarez (Zoning Committee Member that sponsored amendment) rsuarez@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 486-6488 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-6102
32nd Ward Scott Waguespack ward32@cityofchicago.org
33rd Ward Richard Mell rmell@cityofchicago.org
34th Ward Carrie Austin (Zoning Committee Member) caustin@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 928-6961 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-6820
35th Ward Ray Colon (Zoning Committee Member) ward35@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 365-3535 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-6835
36th Ward John Rice Contact by Phone 773)622-3232
37th Ward Emma Mitts emitts@cityofchicago.org
38th Ward Thomas Allen (Zoning Committee Member) tallen@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 545-3838 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-6811
39th Ward Margaret Laurino (Zoning Committee Member) mlaurino@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 736-5594 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-7242
40th Ward Patrick O’Connor pjoconnor@cityofchicago.org
41st Ward Brian Doherty bdoherty@cityofchicago.org
42nd Ward Brendan Reilly Brendan.Reilly@cityofchicago.org
43rd Ward Vi Daley (Zoning Committee Member) vdaley@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: (773) 327-9111 City Hall Phone: (312) 744-3071
44th Ward Thomas Tunney ttunney@cityofchicago.org
45th Ward Patrick Levar plevar@cityofchicago.org
46th Ward Helen Shiller hshiller@cityofchicago.org
47th Ward Eugene Schulter (Zoning Committee Member) ward47@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: 773-348-8400 City Hall Phone: 312-744-3180
48th Ward Mary Ann Smith msmith@cityofchicago.org
49th Ward Joe Moore ward49@cityofchicago.org
50th Ward Bernard Stone (Zoning Committee Member) bstone@cityofchicago.org
Ward Phone: 773-764-5050 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6855
Note: Ald. Bernard Stone (50th Ward)  is the only Committee member that was opposed to the ordinance.  Thank you Alderman Stone!!!!!

A Better Idea For Massage In Chicago

In the meantime, the AMTA-IL Government Relations Committee is finalizing language for a model ordinance that would require massage therapy establishments to submit proof of state licensure when applying for business licenses or renewal (currently not done), and levying substantial fines for violations (also not currently done). Members of the Zoning Committee and a City Commissioner want to partner with the AMTA to address the issues of illicit activity in their wards without discriminating against licensed massage therapists and legitimate massage therapy establishments.

The AMTA proposal is designed to protect the public from illegal massage “parlors” without adversely effecting the business of legitimate massage therapists. But this proposal will likely fall on deaf ears if the current nonsensical and damaging amendment to the Massage Establishment Act passes on Wednesday.

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