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THE BRIEF
ON RELIEF
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MAY 2024
A LESSON OF LOVE BEHIND EVERY RULE My Journey to Appreciating My Mother’s Ways
I lived with a strict mother growing up. When I was young and still learning about life, I hated it sometimes. I felt like I didn’t get to participate in all the activities my peers did, and she had many established rules for our house — no feet on the coffee table, no foraging in the fridge, getting to bed on time, and finishing all your chores. My mother had so many lessons to pass on to me, but sometimes, it takes us years to recognize that what felt like restriction was actually protection all along. Mom was looking out for me, and I can only imagine some of the mistakes I might have made had she not been her. This month is Mother’s Day, and now, as a parent, I am in awe of this woman; I worship the ground she walks on. Above all, I now understand and welcome everything she was trying to teach me.
to make ends meet, and I think she wanted to protect and shield us from some of the challenges she encountered firsthand in life. I’m a father now and catch myself doing all the little things my mom taught me when I was young. We joke in my family about how I would come looking for my kids if they missed curfew. Mom taught me to be vigilant with your children. She taught me to be frugal, too. Mom had a way of making us feel like we had a grander upbringing than our means. I remember wanting a pair of Adidas so badly, and she got me a pair of cheap canvas sneakers with four stripes. She tried. I hear my mother when I get on my kids about turning off the lights now. It makes me giggle and think of her fondly each time. I love my mom so much and try to talk to her regularly now. In addition to phone calls, I visit her several times a year. Whatever she wants to do, that’s our plan for the visit. From shopping at the mall
Today, my mother is 91 years old and still as active and vibrant as she has always been. Even though she’s had some medical needs here and there, she still sounds like the same strong woman. When I think of her childhood, it’s incredible to see the depth of her empathy; her story is truly one of resilience. Mom is from Berlin originally and lived through the Allied bombings of WWII. They didn’t have much growing up, and the area they lived in was destroyed by the war, forcing them to move to another apartment. The circumstances were extreme, and some of the stories she told me were shocking to imagine through the eyes of a young girl. It wasn’t just the horrors of war, either; her family lived very minimally. She had to eat boiled grass when they couldn’t afford food. When my mother immigrated to Canada, where I grew up, she didn’t speak a word of English. To add to the challenges, my father left her to raise the three of us adopted children all on her own. She worked hard as a part-time seamstress
to helping her with daily needs, I strive to treat her like a queen.
Reflecting on this Mother’s Day, I couldn’t ask for a better mom. Her strength through adversity, dedication to her children, and beautiful teachings shaped me in many ways. As youth, it’s easy to feel like our parents are trying to run our lives, but with age, we recognize they were just trying to keep us from getting hurt. I love being a father and greatly credit my mom for that. She molded me into a better version of myself, and I think her story could teach all of us something about the power of persevering love.
I love you, Mom. No shoes on the table here.
—Dr. Alan Weidner
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YOUR ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST Estate planning is a crucial part of financial management that ensures your hard-earned assets are distributed according to your wishes after you pass. Creating a strategic road map for transferring this wealth, minimizing taxes for those beneficiaries, and providing security for your loved ones is incredibly important. To start this journey, you must understand what documents are essential. Here is a checklist of important documents you should include in your planning. LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT The foundation of any estate plan is a last will and testament. This document outlines how you want your assets distributed and who will be responsible for executing your wishes. You don’t have to be retirement age to write yours. It’s best to be prepared as it allows you to appoint a guardian for minors. It must be clear and concise in your will to avoid misunderstandings and legal complications. LIVING WILL OR ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE A living will or advance health care directive articulates your preferences regarding medical treatment in case you become unable to communicate. This document guides your family and healthcare professionals on decisions related to life-sustaining treatments, organ donation, and other critical matters.
CHAIR OF CHA You’re positioning yourself to receive fantastic health and recovery benefits
when you get into a massage chair. While those of us who’ve experienced the positive impacts know how helpful they can be, very few studies exist on the therapeutic benefits of massage chairs. Thankfully, that’s starting to change, and a fascinating report from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, came out in 2018. My son and I delivered massage chairs to the Stress Center at the college, which gives students a place to rest and heal. Inside the center, they provide various machines and tools to decrease stress and pain. Sometime later, Dr. Michael Olpin and I had lunch. We discussed the idea of forming a study around using massage chairs. It was exciting to hear he and the staff had already been taking measurements before and after relief therapy for more than 4,000 subjects. He looked at blood
pressure, pulse, pain, and stress levels. Dr. Olpin discovered that students who used the stress relief center had significantly improved metrics after their treatments. He continued to collect that data and has since published three research projects on stress relief for college students. These are the first published
CLIENT
TESTIMONIALS
FINANCIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY
Designating a trusted individual as your financial power of attorney is essential. This person will manage your financial affairs if you
“I had a fantastic experience with massage-chair-relief.com from start to finish! Visiting the Mesa showroom was incredibly helpful (I went there twice before deciding on a chair); the staff (Shawn Kim) was knowledgeable, friendly, and patient, guiding me through various options to find the perfect massage chair for my needs. The delivery and setup (Francisco) of the chair were seamless and efficient, ensuring I could start enjoying its benefits right away. Overall, I couldn’t be happier with my purchase and the exceptional service provided by massage-chair-relief.com. Highly recommended! “I opted for massage-chair-relief.com over competitors like Costco primarily due to the personalized attention and expertise they offered. While Costco may provide exclusive event sales for their members, the specialized focus and knowledge demonstrated by massage-chair-relief. com staff, particularly at the Mesa showroom, made all the difference. Their ability to understand my specific needs and guide me toward the ideal massage chair set them apart. I felt more confident about massage-chair-relief’s policies on service and repair. Plus, the seamless delivery and setup process further solidified my decision. Overall, the exceptional service and attention to detail at massage-chair-relief.com were unmatched, making it the clear choice for my purchase.” —Angela
become incapacitated. Choose someone reliable and trustworthy to handle your finances. Take your time with this decision, as this person will control your finances.
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS Many assets, such as life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and bank accounts, allow you to designate beneficiaries. Regularly reviewing these designations ensures that your assets go to the intended recipients without going through probate. REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST This last document is not necessary for everyone, but a revocable living trust can be a valuable tool in estate planning. It enables you to transfer assets into the trust during your lifetime and specifies how those should be distributed after your passing, avoiding probate.
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This month, we’ll look at how often you can use your massage chair, the best time of day for a massage, and even what happens if you use your chair too often! Find Your Perfect Massage Chair Routine for Any Time of Day QUESTION CORNER Q: What should I do the first time I use my chair? A: If you are a new massage chair owner, taking it slow at first is a great idea. Start by reading the manual entirely so you understand the chair’s settings. We recommend doing one session in the chair and then gauging how your body responds. If you
ANGE The Rise of Massage Chairs as Stress Busters studies looking directly at the effects of massage chairs. In his 2018 study,
they collected data from 17,000 students to see how perceived stress, pain, blood pressure, etc., changed after using different tools and interventions.
When students arrived, their metrics were collected, and they could use any stress relief tool available. Massage chairs were the most used tool, making up more than 70% of the tools utilized. The various stress interventions decreased the pain and stress levels of participants significantly. Another interesting finding was that students gravitated to devices that would bring quick stress relief rather than tools designed to teach stress management. It makes sense that massage chairs were a top choice because of their ease of use and fast results.
Massage chairs are not difficult to use and allow users to gain rapid relaxation and stress relief benefits. I’m excited to see more reports tracking the benefits of these
fantastic tools, as I think every home could use a great massage chair. If you want to check out Dr. Olpin’s study, visit ResearchGate.net and search for the article “The Effects of Stress Relief Tools and Intervention on Student Well-Being” (publication 351424377).
experience soreness afterward, drink extra water and wait until the next day for another session. Any soreness will eventually taper off as you continue using the chair. Q: How often can I use my massage chair?
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Citrus BBQ Chicken
A: As long as you aren’t experiencing soreness, you can use your chair as often as you want or feel you need for your discomfort. Aim for 2–3 sessions a day for about 15–20 minutes at a time. This will give you all the benefits of the chair and your body the time it needs to recover. Q: Can I use my massage chair too much?
Ingredients • 8 skin-on chicken leg and thigh pieces
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 2 tsp ground cumin • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/3 cups ketchup • 2 tbsp brown sugar
• Juice and zest of 1 orange • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • 3 cloves garlic, minced
A: Listening to your body is crucial. Using your massage chair for too many successive sessions can cause extra soreness and overheat the mechanisms inside the chair. Also, if you hear a grinding sound at the back of your chair, stop using it and give it a chance to cool down. Q: What’s the best time of day to use my chair? A: There’s no wrong or right time of day for a massage chair session, but the timing could trigger different effects on your body and mind. A massage in the morning can signal it’s time to wake up, giving you energy and helping to instill a positive attitude throughout the rest of your day. If you work from home or are blessed to have a massage chair in the office, an afternoon session can quickly release tension. Using your chair in the evening is a beautiful way to relax the muscles and prepare you for a whole night of sleep.
Directions 1. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Combine all other ingredients in a small bowl. 2. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce and add the rest to the plastic bag. Toss to evenly coat the chicken and marinate overnight. 3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add remaining sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to thicken sauce, about 10 minutes. Set aside. 4. On grill set for medium-high heat, arrange chicken skin side down. Cook until grill marks form, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken, cover grill, and cook until a thermometer inserted into thighs reads 165 F, about 20–25 minutes. 5. Serve with remaining sauce.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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My Mom, My Hero Be Prepared for the Worst
Weber State University’s Trailblazing Research on Massage Chair Benefits Client Testimonials Citrus BBQ Chicken Your Massage Chair Questions Answered Mind-Blowing Human Body Facts
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The human body hosts as many fun facts as it does bacteria, and that’s saying something. Every part of our anatomy is fascinating, and these three facts about it can lead to your next foray into an unsettling but interesting dinner conversation. NO. 1: THE EYES SEE UPSIDE DOWN. Our eyes perceive light upside down. Don’t worry, though; you’re seeing the world correctly. A complex series of nerves and brain matter set things right side up. This is how it works: When light hits the eye, corneas shift the image upside down. The retina transmits it to the brain using electrical signals through the optic nerve. The brain then flips the image around to the correct orientation. NO. 2: YOU’RE CARRYING TRILLIONS OF BACTERIA. Every human body is its own universe, an incomprehensibly vast ecosystem supporting an ever-growing quantity of life. At least 38 trillion bacteria roam the body’s various organs, trying to survive, thrive, and reproduce. Human cells comprise only a tenth of that number. We couldn’t live without these bacteria, such as the humble Bacteroidetes, which help us digest food. Others are destructive and possibly lethal, including the infamous E.coli. 3 ASTONISHING FACTS ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY
NO. 3: THE LIVER IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE BODY. This industrious organ is responsible for more bodily functions than any of its peers. Several essential systems rely on a healthy liver to work correctly.
• Bile production: This
acidic fluid digests fats and eliminates waste. • Blood filtering: Toxic substances — such
as alcohol and drugs — work by flowing through our cardiovascular system. The liver breaks them down so they don’t get out of control. • Blood clotting: Livers create vitamin K, a necessary substance in the blood clotting that protects cells from harm. These are but a few of over a hundred daily liver functions. This is an incredible, respectable organ and deserves a standing ovation for all its hard work. Bodies are fascinating. There’s no end to what you can discover. From the oddity of the eye to the power of the liver, every organ has a million mysteries. As science continues to advance, we’re likely to uncover a realm of new and fascinating facts about our bodies.
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