Massage can give relief to tense and stiff muscles, and it can increase joint flexibility and range of motion. It aids in reducing blood pressure. It can assist in improving the capacity for clear thinking, and it gives a feeling of well-being. One technique of therapeutic touch is taught by Dora Kuntz and Dr. Delores Krieger. In a sense, it involves very little actual physical touch but is a process to determine and smooth the energy fields of the body. You could learn to do this to help another person or to teach another person to do it for you when you are in some discomfort. Then there is the exhilarating touch of giving or receiving a hug. A hug increases the heart rate and circulation and aids in an all around feeling of being "okay." June Biermann and Barbara Toohey prescribe four hugs a day. Others have stated that we all need four hugs a day for survival, eight hugs for maintenance, and twelve hugs for growth! Stress management involves taking responsibility for your own self-for your thoughts and your actions. It means that you may become more mature, that you are able to take the "good news" of self-care and turn it into a level of self-management that leads to a healthier mind and body. As you learn how to include stress management in your own life and how to relax, you may find that your blood-sugar levels are getting lower and more stable. Keep in touch with your health professional(s), since less medication may be needed.