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Learn How to Save a Life Take Lifeguard Certification Classes at West! Join MAC West Head Lifeguard and American Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor Peter Fonesca at the West Clubhouse for a lifeguard certification course. Students must be at least 15 years old by the date of the course completion. Students will also be required to swim 300 yards continuously. To Pass This Course: participants “must” attend all classes, actively participate, pass the final written exam and pass the final skills scenario. Dates & Times Monday, Aug. 5 – Friday, Aug. 9 (5 – 9 p.m.) Saturday, Aug. 10 (8 a.m. – Noon) Sunday, Aug. 11 (5 – 9 p.m.) MUST ATTEND ALL SESSIONS Cost Members: $175, which includes the cost of books and material. Non-members: $220 West Clubhouse Call 314-539-4463 to register.
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Sprint Triathlon Swim, bike and run for fun at the fifth annual MAC Sprint Triathlon on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the West Clubhouse. All MAC athletes are welcome to compete. If you’re an experienced tri-athlete, this is your chance to show your stuff to fellow Club members. If you have never “tried a tri,” this will be a fun event to challenge yourself. The race begins with a 300-yard swim, followed by a 12-mile bike and concludes with a 3-mile run. The transition area will open at 6:30 a.m. A mandatory safety briefing will be held at 7 a.m., with the race beginning at 7:30 a.m. All members 16 and older are welcome to participate. Participating members may also bring a guest. Call Jessie Benson at the West Fitness Desk (314-539-4433) to register. The entry fee is $60 for members and $70 for non-members. Included in the price is a full breakfast buffet immediately following the race. Saturday, Sept. 14 6:30 a.m. - Transition area opens 7 a.m. - Mandatory safety meeting $60, inclusive for members $70, inclusive for non-members West Clubhouse Call Jessie at 314-539-4433 to register.
Massage Can Be a Treatment for Migraines by Mark Friedman, BS, LMT
New evidence points to benefits of massage for migraine headache sufferers. A study conducted by S.P. Lawler and L.D. Cameron, of the University of Auckland, showed the effectiveness of massage as a treatment for migraine sufferers in the acute phase of an attack, and as a preventive treatment. This non-pharmalogically based treatment showed that participants in the study had greater improvements in migraine frequency and sleep quality during the intervention weeks, and three follow-up weeks. Stress, one trigger of headaches, can be reduced or managed by massage. It can help reduce pain and make you feel good. According to a Franklin Institute study on the human brain and stress, massage stimulates the body’s release of chemical endorphins. Endorphins are considered 14
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the body’s natural painkillers because they have a similar effect of opiates like morphine. A study in the journal, Psychooncology in October 2008, showed that, “a significant reduction in [the stress chemical] cortisol could be safely achieved through massage with associated improvement in psychological well-being.” Further, the International Journal of Neuroscience showed that massage could decrease the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and symptoms of distress while increasing serotonin levels in adults with migraines. Increasing serotonin is the goal of many pain-relieving medications. See your doctor if you suspect your or a family member’s migraine pain and consider massage as a supportive treatment to a migraine pain.
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