If you ask Becky Dildine, owner of Escape Hair Design, Massage Therapy & Body Care, times when the belt needs to be tightened are the worst times to cut massages out of the budget. Why? Massage is proven to relieve stress, and stress can reach killer levels when the economy is tanking. In Iraq at times our facility would arrange to provide professional massages for the soldiers, and we as staff were also able to benefit from the skillful touch of Filipina massage therapists. I have no doubt that particularly during the fierce fighting of the Fallujah campaign, deep tissue massage helped me to keep it together and do my job. So as far as this girl is concerned, Miss Becky is preaching to the choir.

Becky Dildine is married and the mother of four children. She is a lifelong resident of Athens, took general courses at Calhoun, and graduated in 2006 from the Madison School of Massage. She holds Alabama and national certification in Swedish and deep tissue massage, and has done some myofacial massage work as well. Her own story is that she had just one professional massage, and she was hooked. As she began to do her course work, she found that the documented benefits of massage were nearly endless. At the top of the list is stress reduction, which affects everything from high blood pressure to allergies, migraines, lower back pain, labor and delivery. Massage therapy strengthens the immune system by stimulating the lymph glands, helps preemies gain weight and hospice patients to gain a final sense of well being.

How does massage therapy accomplish this? Basically by removing toxins from muscles and helping the body to release endorphins, our "feel good" chemicals. In order to maintain the benefit of a professional massage, Becky says the process should be repeated every month to five weeks. She adds, "I wish I could let the whole world know what a big difference a massage can make." Here’s a start!

Escape Hair Design, Massage Therapy & Body Care is located on AL Hwy 99, right next to Owens Elementary school. The address is 21633 AL Hwy, 99 Athens. Hours are Mon-Fri, 9-5, and Sat 9-3. Some evening appointments are available. Rates are quite reasonable, and Escape also has a licensed hair dresser and a master cosmetologist to serve you. Call 256-233-2226 for an appointment. You’ll be glad you did!