IS: Welcome to Men’s Minds Matters, this week we are discussing the health benefits of getting a thai massage. If you are tuning in live, hello and welcome and if you are reading the transcript, kindly transcribed by the lovely Carolynn, who will also publish it on our blog, hello to you too. My name is Ian Stewart and I will be your host this afternoon. Today we shall be discussing the health benefits of thai massage…To talk on the subject I have roped in an exciting array of guests. First on my right here we have Trevor Arnold, a leading member of the UK’s massaging federation and talented gold player.
TA: Oh well, I wouldn’t know about that…
IS: You wiped the floor with me last weekend
TA: Well I suppose I did yes haha.
IS: Then we have Tracey Gooley, a retired thai masseuse turned entrepreneur.
TG: Hello
IS: And finally, as always we get a guy off the street- no I’m kidding, introducing regular panellist, and everyone’s favourite chip off the old block, my younger brother Paul Stewart.
PS: yeah you alright?
IS: What have you been up to this week Paul?
PS: Nothing really, my girlfriend broke up with me
IS: How long were seeing this one?
PS: Two weeks
IS: Two weeks, bloody hell Paul, what’re you doing to these women Paul?
PS: Me? She wanted me to move in with her and look after her kids every Tuesday night!
IS: I guess that’s dating in your 40’s for yer, eh paul?
PS: Yea
IS: Now that feels like an appropriate segway to the topic in hand… Many men, who like paul, are going through a breakup, will get an erotic massage to make them feel better, right? And see, the benefit of getting a massage in regards to the ‘happy ending’ element or even ‘full service’ goes without saying. However what is often overlooked is the actual benefits to your health you can get from having a massage.
PS: Like what?
IS: Well that is what we’ve got the panellists here to tell us. Let’s start with Tracey. As a former masseuse yourself you must have some key insight, right?
TG: well when I started maseussing in London in the 80’s it was a different time. We were given no formal training, no books, we were just shown by the other girls and a lot of the time we were just making it up. Haha those were the days, I mean now it’s completely changed of course. You couldn’t just rock up with some massage oil to a hotel and hope for the best. The girls working the circuit in London now have trained at professional massage schools and really deliver actual massage styles.
IS: So you don’t actually know anything about the benefits of a thai massage?
TG: Oh no I do, I knew I was coming on the show and I didn’t want to look like a dummy on air so I asked some girls I know that are still in the trade and now I’ve got a bunch of facts!
IS: Well go on then, shares with us what you know- pauls gasping here, wants to know whether its worth getting a massage rather than booking in with his therapist this week
PS: Eh… well you’re not wrong.
TG: Well, let’s see… Yes this one Thai masseuse, Chloe, lovely girl mind, she told me that a thai massage will rebalance the Cortisol and Serotonin in your body.
IS: the what now and the who now?
TG: Cortisol is the stress hormone- and when you have too much of that swimming around your body you feel rubbish. Serotonin is the happy hormone- it makes you feel all warm and nice. When you get a thai massage your body will naturally produce more serotonin, which removes the cortisol that might be swimming around your body- leaving you feeling much better after your massage than before you had it.
PS: Amazing.
IS: That enough to convince you Paul?
TG: Wait I’ve got more! I spoke to this really talented thai masseuse. Anna, she’s dead serious but got a heart of gold when you know her. Anyway, she told me a tonne of interesting health benefits..
IS: Go on…
TG: She said the stretching that is done to the muscles and limbs during a thai massage will relieve even chronic muscle pain as it targets deep muscle tension. She said that anyone getting a thai massage will notice a considerable lightness to their limbs after their session.
IS: Will it help me lose a stone?
TG: Well funny you say that, a thai massage will increase blood circulation- and good circulation improves the amount of oxygen going around your body. A lack of oxygen can cause your glands to swell so you might appear slimmer post massage- and perhaps, now here’s me speculating, but maybe with all this positive serotonin dancing around your body, you might feel more motivated to go the gym, tackle that flubby tummy
IS: Flubby tummy! I had a large lunch! Just you wait; as soon as I’ve had a digest my stomach will be as flat as stone.
PS: A couple of a stones…
IS: moving on- We haven’t heard from our panellist expert yet, Trevor, you had been one of the leading members of the UK’s massage federation for the past 12 years. What do you know about the health benefits of thai massage?
TA: Well I mean you’ve have touched on a few key points already, I think what Tracey said about Serotonin was really interesting – and really hits on to my main expertise when it comes to massages. Over my time looking in to the subject I have learnt of the major benefits thai massage can have on men’s mental health.
IS: Oh really..
TA: Now I know not all men feel comfortable with discussing mental health, but it’s important so let’s not fanny around the subject.
PS: No you’re quite right.
TA: There are men out there dying because they can’t get in touch with their emotions, or their body, or their head- it’s an epidemic.
IS: you are absolutely right there Trev, no-one’s disagreeing with you there.
TA: Right sorry, sometimes I get a bit choked up, my son he, er. Anyway, Thai massage in particular is incredibly beneficial to improving your general mental health. Thai massage is a very meditative experience, it helps calm and settle the mind. The specific massage techniques designed for Thai massage were created to specifically relax the mind, something that is so important nowadays- what with the million distractions of social media, and our phones and the cartoons and the reality shows- sometimes we just need to stop. Getting a thai massage will help you fall into a meditative state. Bliss. How important is that for the mind I ask you?
IS: Very important Terry
TA: Trev
IS: Trev sorry, well that’s all we’ve got time for tonight folks, I hope you’ve learnt something! And from all of us here at Men’s Minds Matter, see you next week.
Interested in Booking a Thai massage with a lovely masseuse? Have a look at our service page and the different styles of massage we can perform. Maybe a sexy Thai Nuru massage would be right up your street?
