Stress. An overused word... one that has lost its ability to get our full attention.

Consider this: There are "known knowns." These are things we know that we know. (I know I know how to drive a car.) There are "known unknowns." That is to say, there are things we know we don't know. (I know I don't know how to fly a plane.) Finally, there are "unknown unknowns." There are things we don't know that we don't know (Things that we don't realize we don't know.) This 3rd realm is where it gets interesting... because bottom line is - we don't know as much as we think we do! We have definite and unexpected gaps in our knowledge. In psychology it's called the "illusion of explanatory depth," meaning you think you understand something that you actually don't.

Stress. We think we understand how it works, and how to manage it. But there are things we don't realize that we don't know. So we go on our merry ways with our lives. In other words, "Ignorance is Bliss."

Zoli, a Naturopath and owner/founder of the Holistic Bio Spa said that I needed to reduce my stress. He suggested that I make an appointment for a massage. My immediate response... I don't have time for "fluff." I have 2 rescue dogs at home, both on meds, plus my own dog is 13, and I need to spend more time with her. On top of that, I have to take my car in for servicing, and then stop by the market. "I will continue to detox my body," I told him (as you've read about in my previous articles), "but truly, Zoli, I don't have time for a massage." That's when Zoli told me a few things about Stress, and made me realize that "I didn't know what I didn't know."

Fast Forward... When I went into the bathroom at the Holistic Bio Spa after my massage, I saw my reflection in the mirror. I looked 20 years younger. Funny how your brain can play a trick on your eyes like that. I felt a shock run through me as I gazed into that mirror, but that younger woman didn't flinch - she was calm, serene, and oh-so-relaxed as she stared back at me.

I admit that I don't do enough nice things for myself. But I did that day. I wrote myself into my calendar for a Professional Massage. I put myself first. Everything else got put off until the next day. (And the world did NOT come to an end.) When I looked in the mirror as I washed my hands, I saw my soul somehow beaming out through my face... saying "Thank you." It was powerful to experience that illusion. Just like I needed to do with my 13 year old dog, I needed to spend more time taking care of my own self.

The massage room at the Holistic Bio Spa is upstairs in a serene room pushed back into a nice, quiet corner of the spa. My massage therapist, Laura (who I now call "My Angel"), used Aromatherapy and had calm music playing. There were candles and dim lighting. I was in heaven.

Laura started with Acupressure. She said my muscles were exceptionally tense. She asked me if I was sleeping well. I said yes. Then I thought, "Uh oh! What if I don't know what I don't know... and I'm not sleeping well?" I measure sleeping well as "not awakening during the night." Zoli said I should also consider how I feel when I wake up in the morning. (Oops, I always feel tired.)

Laura had me inhale a Lavender essential oil... and she started the massage. She asked at the beginning if the pressure she was using was too hard, not hard enough. After that, I slipped into "La-La Land."

That day I made the decision to have a WEEKLY massage. My "fluff." Breathing in lavender... Breathing out the stress I did NOT realize had taken up residence in my body. Zoli says the Holistic Bio Spa partners with you to restore vibrant health to your WHOLE mind and body... and even though massage feels like a luxury, it's an important component to relieve stress. I'm going again on Thursday. Call for your appointment today. Maybe I'll see you there.

For more information, Zoli and his team will have a presentation booth at the 6th Annual Medical Matters Conference presented by HealthCare Resources/Pamela Thompson on February 15, 2016 from 9 am to 5 pm at the Marriott CasaMagna Resort in Marina Vallarta. Come and meet Zoli!

Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm, the Holistic Bio Spa is located in Plaza Marina, Local B-10, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México. For more information, click HERE, visit HolisticBioSpa.com, call 322-221-1607 or email info(at)holistic-bio-spa.com.