Let food be your medicine

Posted on February 29, 2012 by angela

Everybody needs to eat, we ingest food at least three times a day, and for this reason alone it makes perfect sense to use this opportunity to nourish and heal our bodies with the very same foods we are eating.

There is so much discussion in the media regarding what constitutes a well-balanced diet. We are always being advised as to which vitamins and minerals we should be eating and where they come from. Also it seems every month produces a new super food capable of curing all our ailments. This can be very confusing and can often have the effect of leaving people feeling disempowered and demotivated.

There are no super foods. No matter what nutritional benefits or healing properties they may contain, no one food can solve all our nutritional needs.

Before we can use foods to nourish and heal our bodies there are two important steps we will need to take:
1. We need to make sure our digestive system is working correctly
2. We need to eat unprocessed foods, which suit our individual body type.

Signs our digestive system is not working correctly
When our digestive systems are out of balance, we experience symptoms such as bloating, wind, loose stools, constipation, heartburn, and acid regurgitation.

Improving digestive fire (agni)
We may be eating all the right foods, but if we are unable to absorb them and utilise their benefits, then over time we are liable to become ill. In Ayurvedic medicine the digestive system is regarded as the gateway to health and longevity.

If we think of digestive fire as a boiler and with this boiler we cook and transform all our foods into the nutrients we need to use to heal and keep our bodies healthy, then it is essential our digestive systems be kept in a healthy state. Only then will we be able to absorb and utilise these nutrients in every organ and tissue of our bodies.

The four primary steps to improving digestion
1. First understand your metabolism or constitution. Does it work fast, (I look forward to my next meal) or slow (I do not feel I have digested my last meal before its meal time again), or irregular (I never know how I will feel after a meal)?
2. Begin to understand your own individual capacity for food. How much can I eat? Am I eating the types of foods, which agree with me and keep me healthy?
3. Begin to understand if your body is digesting the foods you are eating. If your energy is low you are probably not assimilating enough nutrients from your foods.
4. Learn how to recognise the signs of good digestion; this will help prevent digestion becoming disturbed in the first place.
Recipe to improve digestion
Raw sauerkraut is an excellent food for regenerating the intestines. It helps in the formation of enzymes and vitamins, strengthens the function of the pancreas, and improves the digestion of fats. Raw sauerkraut also helps to maintain the acid-alkaline balance of the body; it strengthens the nerves and immune system, as well as stimulating blood formation. The benefits of sauerkraut will help to rejuvenate the whole body.

It is important to eat raw sauerkraut; sauerkraut sold in shops is usually pasteurised.

Here is a recipe so you can make it yourself:
Raw sauerkraut recipe
1 cabbage grated or chopped in food processor
2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of sea salt (optional)
20g juniper berries

Method

Save the outer leaves of the cabbage for later
Mix all the ingredients together
Place in a ceramic pot or glass container
Cover with the outer leaves of the cabbage, and then place a plate on top of the leaves so it is resting directly on the cabbage
Place a 3-5lb weight on the plate
Put in a cool place for one to two weeks
Discard the outer leaves; store the sauerkraut in the refrigerator in a glass jar
Will keep for at least four weeks

For maximum benefit, sauerkraut should be eaten on a daily basis. You should gradually introduce the new bacteria into your body by adding small amounts to a meal (1 tablespoon). This can be gradually increased to a quarter cup after two weeks. CHW

Next time we will look at our individual constitutions and how we can use spices to increase our digestive fire (agni).

© Michael Newman is a fully qualified Ayurvedic Nutritionalist, Acupuncturist Remedial & Sports Masseur and Specializes in the treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. He has been commissioned to work with professional footballers, athletes and ballet dancers in Europe and the Far East.

He is currently running courses and workshops on Ayurveda looking at the connection between Yoga and Ayurvedic Nutrition. Yoga Off The Mat. Post graduate courses on Injury and Rehabilitation, Sports Massage. He also offers a donation based clinic for people with chronic conditions.

Michael Newman
michaelnewman525@btinternet.com
Tel: 0784-6614420

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Abhyanga

Posted on February 28, 2012 by angela

Ayurveda is often described as the world’s oldest medical system. A Sanskrit word, it comes from ayus, meaning ‘life’ and veda, meaning ‘knowledge’. The fundamentals of Ayurveda are found in the ancient Indian Vedas, the first of which was written down over 6,000 years ago, recording an oral tradition that goes back much further.

Kapha means water-earth. Kapha people tend to have the most stable and grounded natures of the three dosha types.

Central to Ayurveda is the idea of balance, which includes not only the body, but mind, emotions and spirit as well. In true holistic fashion, the Ayurvedic texts describe many different kinds of treatments for maintaining and promoting this inner balance. A favourite therapy which can be enjoyed at spas, salons and at home is the whole-body oil massage known as abhyanga.

So what is it we’re seeking to balance with abhyanga? The Vedas describe how the five basic elements of earth, air, fire, water and ether in different combinations form the three basic types of energy, or doshas, known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These exist in everything and influence all mental and physical processes. Ideally, our doshas would be perfectly balanced, but usually one is predominant. When the imbalance between the doshas becomes pronounced, we suffer stress which, if not addressed, can lead to illness.

Pitta means fire, and Pitta people are known for their keen intellect, perfectionist tendencies and sharp anger.

The benefits of massage are well known, but choosing base oils according to dosha and adding dosha-balancing herbal ingredients to them increases the balancing effects many times over. Before the massage, the therapist focuses their energy with a brief meditation and may recite a prayer or mantras to magnify the healing potency of the treatment. They synchronise their breathing with that of the receiver in order to maintain a deep connection on the energy level.

Abhyanga has an acute awareness of the marmas and chakras. Marmas are vital points similar to acupressure points and massaging them helps with detoxification and energy flow.

Ayurvedic massage opens and cleanses the energy channels and chakras so that prana can flow freely, thus revitalising the entire system.
Blending oils to treat specific dosha imbalances is usually done by an Ayurvedic doctor, but pre-blended oils are available for use at spas and salons, or at home. Clients will love you for taking the time to help them work out which is their predominant dosha and bringing to their attention the general advice about changes in lifestyle, diet and so on that can be found in many books on Ayurveda. Although you may have been on a course to learn how to give your clients abhyanga massage, the real work is done when regular self-massage becomes part of the client’s daily routine. Traditionally, abhyanga is done in the morning before showering to start the day. Even just three to five minutes of daily self-massage with the appropriate dosha-balancing oil can have a hugely beneficial cumulative effect. The skin becomes lustrous and healthy, but abhyanga is also stress-reducing and anti-aging on many levels. A variety of other sensory supports can aid the balancing process, for example, dosha-balancing incense, music, soap, amulets, tea, and so on can be offered.

Vata means wind in Sanskrit. Vata people’s moods change quickly. They often move on to new pursuits before finishing old projects. Generally imaginative, eccentric, exciting and excitable, Vatas move at a hectic pace.

The Sanskrit word for oil is sneha, a term synonymous with love, kindness and tenderness – all feelings that enfold you during an Ayurvedic abhyanga therapy session. CHW

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Integrated Naturopathy homeopathy, herbs and nutrition

Posted on February 27, 2012 by angela

Anne, aged 70, had a considerably overloaded gall bladder. Her medical specialists were reluctant to treat her surgically because of high blood pressure and an inherent cardiac weakness. She was also dramatically susceptible to reactions from drugs. Hence the medical referral, my hands not being tied, and the bonus of medical monitoring.

Anne is a retired nurse who is stoically stubborn and has a great sense of humour. Although born and bred in Jamaica, she had trained and been in the UK all her working life. Partly thanks to her Caribbean upbringing, Anne taught me a lot. For example, when I explained that constipation would contribute to the pressure on her diaphragm and, therefore, her upper abdomen (her bowel evacuations were every 2–3 days), Anne told me how her mother would brew up Quassia chips from their garden to regularly ‘flush out’ both Anne and her siblings. She swore it was far more bitter than the Wormwood tincture I gave her during her first consultation, so she wasn’t going to disagree with my ‘bitter as gall’ initial prescription.

The great part for me was to watch her face gradually become less contorted from the pain she started with, and after 15 minutes, when I asked how bad the pains were, her reactions, though they were as I expected from my past experience with similar conditions, were a joy. Initially, she looked perplexed and then astonished. She couldn’t believe the pains under her right shoulder blade and in her right-to-centre upper abdomen had gone. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a cure but was purely palliative with the numbing and stomachic actions of the Wormwood. Nevertheless, Anne was grateful and we proceeded with the consultation.

There are a number of ways to flush the gall bladder and in our consultancy, over the years, we’ve encouraged patients to take photos of their ‘results’ to their GPs. The majority of gallstones are compressed bile and look like cooked broad beans; the younger stones look rather more like petits pois (saponified biliverbin). Stones of compressed, hardened bilirubin take on the shape of dark red, irregularly-shaped dice. These green and red formations are largely due to long periods of alkalosis (above normal bicarbonate concentrates) where the calcium, precipitated with cholesterol, forms an insoluble ‘soap’.

Anne found it hard to believe that most of her wide-ranging symptoms were related – upper and lower gas, abdominal distension, headaches, nausea, dizziness, sleeplessness, plus more. She was fully aware of the relationship to gallstones of pain at the back of her shoulder, localised pains, occasional jaundiced-looking eyes, and the lower ‘gas’ issues. We shook hands on the majority of her other symptoms ‘going with’ the gallstones.

My initial prescription, apart from the First Aid mentioned above, was aimed at softening up the gallstones with: a) 0.5 litres of diluted apple juice a day for 3-4 weeks – the malic acid therein is the softening agent b) Homeopathic Calc Carb at an appropriate potency for the patient. This too is effective in softening, even dissolving, calcareous deposits, which are the coral calcified variety of gallstones.

It is always gratifying to see the crumbly calcareous gallstones evacuated into a fine-meshed sieve when our patients undertake the ‘Emergency Gall Bladder Flush’ but this wasn’t appropriate for Anne; due to her severe back pain, arthritic knees, sciatica and muscular weakness, she couldn’t cope with getting up from the floor unaided during and after the essential coffee enemas.

Even with this gentle, personalised and non-intrusive approach, there was a missing factor to consider; Anne’s circulatory system. When I asked her if she had palpitations, she said that it felt more like throbbing and she drew aside the neck of her cardigan to show me her jugular vein pulsating away dramatically. I prescribed homeopathic Belladonna, which she started then and there. I explained how to monitor the benefits and suggested she should start the Calc Carb a week later when she could move into an ‘if required mode’ with the Belladonna. So we went ahead with the apple juice, homeopathics and the herbal tincture Hydrangea Root (a powerful antilithic), the latter to be taken three times daily before food until the time of her next scan.

We were very fortunate to have her specialists monitor the clearing of Anne’s gallstones. After 16 weeks, she was off the whole prescription. More importantly, she was soon out of pain but persevered with the programme until given the all clear from scan results. Throughout, Anne was receiving dietary advice from her medical specialists and from me. The standard low-cholesterol diet was obviously applicable, but this is often insufficient as the liver manufactures cholesterol, even on a totally fat-free diet. Extensive research has shown that deficiencies of ascorbic acid and vitamin E promote cholesterol gallstones. Studies have also found that a deficiency in essential fatty acids can contribute to gallstone formation. Animal and human studies have shown the amino acid, Taurine, inhibits these formations by increasing the flow and excretion of bile. Thus, we made various dietary recommendations and introduced an ACE selenium supplement that Anne now ‘swears by’ as her arthritis has been greatly relieved.

© Angela Bradbury is the Vice Principal of the Holistic Health College, London, and Chair of the General Naturopathic Council’s Education Committee. She can be contacted on 020 7834 3579. Information about Naturopathy can
be obtained from the General Naturopathic Council at www.gncouncil.com

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Naturopathic Acupuncture a Cancer Case History

Posted on February 24, 2012 by angela

Continuing our theme of Naturopathic case studies, we move on to acupuncture, which is considered by many to be most effective when used within a naturopathic framework. In China it has always been used within the context of lifestyle and dietary changes, and we continue this tradition into modern times, as this case history shows.

The patient, (we shall call her Mary) was 80 years old when I first met her. She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2008. The tumour was ‘inoperable’, and chemotherapy had not been recommended as the doctors were of the opinion that it could not cure the cancer. The patient had been told that only one in five people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer lived for a year or more. Luckily, the patient has a fine sense of humour and treated such statistics with scepticism. There is much research to suggest that one of the key factors in determining how long a person with cancer will live, is his or her expectation: if you think you will live for longer, you probably will. In my experience, a wide-ranging programme involving diet, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and a positive mental outlook is necessary to fight a disease such as cancer. Mary was ready to do whatever it took.

Under medical supervision, she was injected with large doses of vitamin C and ‘ukrain’. The latter is an extract from the plant Chelidonium majus (Greater Celandine). Several trials have shown that this plant is effective in treating tumours.

Mary followed the ‘Budwig diet’, which was developed by a German doctor who realised that omega-3 plays a significant role in fighting cancer, while hydrogenated fats may promote cancer. The diet includes flaxseed oil mixed with cottage cheese (or quark cheese), vegetable juices and other key nutrients. It prohibits white bread, hydrogenated oils, seafood, meat, dairy products (apart from the cottage cheese) and refined sugar. Large numbers of people have claimed great results in fighting cancer with this approach .

The therapies we have just mentioned are basically the same for everybody. The value of the Chinese approach is that it is tailored to each individual, based on his or her diagnosis. According to Chinese medicine, Mary had ‘blood stagnation’, ‘kidney qi deficiency’ and ‘liver blood deficiency’. How did I know this? Her tongue was purple and her pulse was ‘choppy’, which indicates blood stagnation. It is not really possible to translate ‘blood stagnation’ into English: it can include ‘sticky blood’ or problems in the blood capillaries. This, in turn, leads to poor distribution of oxygen and nutrients into the cells and poor release of toxins from the cells. This can create an environment, or ‘field’, in which cancer can develop. I used certain Chinese herbs such as turmeric and Chinese angelica, to break up the blood stagnation. I also used certain acupuncture points, which helped to break up stagnant blood. Over the course of treatment, the tongue became less purple as the blood stagnation was broken up.

The term ‘kidney qi deficiency’ is also impossible to translate directly. It means something like a weakness in the vital force. In fact the word ’kidney’ does not capture the full meaning of the Chinese term, which actually includes the hormonal system. The Chinese ‘kidney’ is responsible for cellular reproduction and development, so if ‘kidney qi’ is weak, cells may not replicate properly, causing mutations and therefore cancer. I used certain acupuncture points and Chinese herbs such as goji berries to strengthen the kidneys.

‘Liver blood deficiency’ can correspond to a deficiency in key nutrients. The flaxseed and cottage cheese in the Budwig diet, from a Chinese perspective, strengthen the liver blood. I also used acupuncture and several herbs, such as Chinese salvia, to further strengthen the blood.

In addition to the herbs mentioned, certain other herbs have been identified in China by both laboratory tests and clinical trials to have anti-tumour properties. The Chinese have found certain herbs to be beneficial for certain kinds of cancers, so I used herbs indicated for pancreatic cancer.

Over the course of treatment, the pulse became stronger, as Mary’s ‘vital force’ responded to the treatment. By November 2009, blood tests showed no obvious signs of pancreatic cancer. She continues to have regular acupuncture and take herbs and maintains her healthy diet. At the time of writing, she is 83 years old, remains healthy, and enjoys life. CHW

Warning: herbs can cause any condition to worsen if used incorrectly. The herb Chelidonium Majus is toxic and must only be used under medical supervision: always consult a properly qualified herbalist.

© Henry McGrath is the Academic Director and Acupuncture Course Director at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. He practicess acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in Bristol, and specialises in working with cancer.

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Hydrolats for Infection

Posted on February 22, 2012 by angela

Many essential oils have been tested against different types of bacteria, ranging from e-coli to staphylococcal infections. When the hydrolat is made via the distillation process, some of the essential oil components that are water soluble can be present in the finished hydrolat.

Some of the most soluble chemical components of essential oils are phenols, which, fortunately for us, are some of the most antimicrobial elements of an essential oil. Not all aromatic plants have a significant amount of phenols, but those that do include Thymus vulgaris ct thymol (thyme oil), Oreganum compactum (oregano), Satureia montana (savoury), Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon leaf), Syzygium aromaticum (clove) and Pimenta officinalis (allspice). Of these distillations, thyme, savoury and oregano hydrolats are the most commonly available and all contain considerable amounts of either thymol or carvacrol – powerful phenol components that are used commercially and medically to prevent infection. An added benefit of using these phenolic hydrolats is that they keep longer than hydrolats without phenols. This is the case because the phenols keep away bacteria and other microbes.

Cuts and grazes
Use thyme or oregano hydrolats in a spray bottle to spray directly onto the affected areas. The hydrolats do not need to be rubbed into the wound as they will penetrate the open areas of the skin. These hydrolats can also be used on gauze to clean the wound before any dressings are applied.

Infection prevention
Since the oils mentioned above show very positive results for various infections, the hydrolats can be very useful for hospital infection-prevention packs. Thyme and savoury hydrolats can be sprayed on hospital linen and curtains to minimise risk of bacteria, and also sprayed regularly in the air around the patient’s bed to purify the air. Using the hydrolats on the hands before eating is also beneficial.

Internal infection
The hydrolats mentioned above are all fairly strong, and as such, do not taste as acceptable as others. This means that it is advisable to dilute these hydrolats before ingestion by at least 50% with boiled water to make them palatable. It is important to remember that hydrolats for ingestion MUST be true hydrolats – i.e., products of distillation with no added solvents, preservatives or alcohols. To keep internal infection at bay use up to 50mls of your chosen hydrolat diluted to taste and sipped slowly in small doses throughout the day.

Using hydrolats to help prevent and control infection can help the body to maintain balance and equilibrium within the immune system, without side effects. This is achieved by the gentle and subtle energy of the hydrolats to help improve health over a period of time.

Bibliography
Understanding Hydrolats: L Price
Hydrosols: S Catty

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‘Mind Over Matter’ – The practice of Mindfulness meditation

Posted on February 21, 2012 by angela

As I began 2012 with the glorious birth of my first grandson, it suddenly dawned on me that all too often as we go through life, we lose the aliveness that glows in the face of a healthy infant.

It seems the wonders of our early childhood dimly fade as we conform to the standards that we think the world expects of us. We learn to hide our feelings of excitement and the joy of simple pleasures, first from others and then from ourselves.

Unfortunately anxieties take over, drama occupies our attention, we numb ourselves with TV, web-surfing, social media etc. We tell ourselves that we’re just avoiding boredom. But beneath the surface there is agitation, restlessness, sadness, emptiness, fears and joy.
We seem to have lost touch with what is real and eternal inside us. What was once our perfect place of peace within us has now become a mystery. We’re afraid to look inside ourselves, for fear that what has been suppressed will overwhelm us. And so we do not linger in the awareness of the inner Self.
Perhaps we need to embrace the prospect that if we settle the mind and find ‘stillness’ we can achieve peace from within and become more fulfilled in our daily life.
The concept of ‘Mindfulness’ is a state of present awareness. A relaxed state of mind, in which we are conscious of our experiences, these include sensations, thoughts, feelings, breathing, and surroundings, all with an attitude of non-resistance, peace and acceptance.
‘Mindfulness meditation’ is a type of meditation that essentially involves focusing your mind on the present. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the present, without judging yourself.
Finding the stillness in a body free of tension is where we ultimately want to be! There are many ways to learn mindful meditation through the Internet, books, Apps or personal teacher and as a self-help therapy it is a fantastic tool to quiet the mind. Research suggests that ‘mindfulness meditation’ may improve mood, decrease stress, and boost immune function.

My advice to anyone who wants to learn is to meditate frequently but for short periods of time. If you force the practice it can take on too much of a personality, training the mind should be very simple. So you could meditate for ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening.

Follow a simple practice by sitting in an upright chair, close your eyes softly and bring your mind to the present moment, focusing on your breath.
1. Notice the air as you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, feel your belly rise and fall.
2. Concentrate on slowing the breathing and making the out breath longer than the in breath. Do this by counting in for 4 and out for 6.
3. Watch every thought come and go, whether it is a worry, fear or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind let them drift in and out, don’t ignore or suppress them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.
4. If you find yourself getting carried away, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing.
5. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. Get up gradually.

The mind is the most powerful tool in the universe. And for most of us, it is the master. So the secret is: If you can be gentle with yourself when practicing your meditation technique. Then, guess what? You have already arrived at a place where few have been before.
Annie Moore MCThA, ITEC, RCCA Clinical Massage Therapist and founder of Vidatherapy Spa, Teddington , Middlesex www.vidatherapy.com, anne@vidatherapy.com.

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Fascia, Tensegrity and Interconnectedness

Posted on February 20, 2012 by angela

A lady in her sixties had been consulting me for craniosacral treatment for headaches. For 20 years she had been suffering from debilitating head pain which had not responded to conventional or complementary approaches, including acupuncture and massage.

Her headaches responded to the release of compression in her occipital bone. She experienced almost complete relief by the fourth treatment.

Although she was very pleased, I noticed that there was still a degree of hypertonicity in the cervical musculature contributing to some residual discomfort. She mentioned that 30 years previously she had slipped and fallen forward, hitting her sternum on the edge of a step and that she had experienced occasional soreness in that area ever since. I manually explored the sternum and located a small area of fascial restriction which released easily. When the neck was palpitated again, the muscles had relaxed.

This illustrates three things: firstly, patients forget important aspects of their history; secondly, what may seem trivial may be a maintaining factor in a pattern of dysfunction and thirdly, the interconnectedness of the body.

A modern way of explaining this is to view the organism as a tensegrity structure. Tensegrity is a term coined by the architect, Buckminster Fuller, to describe structures like geodesic domes. These structures are composed of tensile and compressive elements which in the correct combinations, form stable and flexible units.

The human body can be seen as a tensegrity structure, with the bone forming the largely compressive elements and the soft tissues (tendons, muscles, ligaments and fascia) forming the tensile side of the equation.

Tensegrity can be disturbed by trauma or ageing. This is particularly apparent in soft tissues where muscle tone may vary from hypertonicity in acute trauma to hypotonicity in ageing. Similarly, loss of strength and elasticity in other elements of soft tissue will unbalance the whole. This imbalance loads the compression elements and leads to joint and bone dysfunction.

In the case of my patient, an old trauma in a small region of the sternum was affecting the cervical musculature via the fascia and therefore unbalancing the tensegrity system sufficiently to maintain a restriction of motion in that area and, along with the occipital compression, contribute to her long-standing and debilitating headaches.

It is reasonable to postulate that tensegrity is an important factor in maintaining balance at the microscopic level too. Fasciae are found throughout the body, enveloping organs and muscles, lining cavities continuous with the extracellular matrix which has fluid and solid properties, where, according to some scientists, the fluid has a liquid crystalline structure and even into cells and nuclei where cytoskeletal structures are present.

This allows for the intriguing possibility that tensegrity can be maintained and restored by craniosacral work, other bodywork and even detoxification. These can all work together to restore tissue function, even at the smallest level and thus contribute to the maintenance of health. CHW

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Your Body Really Does Know Best.

Posted on February 16, 2012 by angela

Your body is amazingly clever. Its prime mission is to support, care and heal you. Your body only ever wants what is best for you, and this is something that we all can take for granted at times.

We expect our body to work perfectly all the time and get most upset when it doesn’t. Our body demands our utmost respect but due to our busy, hectic lifestyles we tend to neglect our body and don’t take any notice of it until something breaks or doesn’t function as it should.

I have been teaching Pilates for over 12 years and I am always astounded by how little care and attention we actually do lavish on our bodies. My clients tend to spend more money and time on caring for their cars than their bodies.

You only ever get one body and this is your home all the time you are alive on this earth. If you do not take any notice of your body, trust me, your body will (much like a two-year-old) start to act up and demand immediate attention.

Awareness is vital if you are to move into your body completely. To cultivate this awareness you just need space, time and patience. Why not try just five minutes listening in time a couple of times throughout your day?

Your body knows best and it never lies. When you take the time and energy to listen in, your body will tell you what it needs. You may be new to listening in so I have compiled an essential list of ‘must haves’ that your body craves on a daily basis.
1. Please move me, I don’t care how, but just move me, the aches and pains you are feeling are not aches and pains because of something you are doing, I am actually aching to move. Take me on a walk, do some stretches and I’ll be happy.
2. Feed me great nutritious food at regular intervals throughout the day. This keeps my blood sugar levels up so I have enough energy for you to move throughout your day.
3. Please hydrate me with water. I need topping up regularly, so that I can eliminate toxins for you. Staying hydrated gives me more energy too.
4. Please remember our posture when sitting in your car or your desk. Think tall and long. Make sure the chair is supporting your back as this will alleviate a lot of undue back pressure and pain.
5. I need fresh air daily, it’s good to wake me up and get rid of the cobwebs; just 10 minutes will do.
6. I need to rest and recharge daily. Going to bed at a regular time on a great supportive mattress and pillow will help me wake up feeling refreshed for the next day.

Have fun with listening in to your body. It takes some practice but you will be well rewarded for your efforts. Your body will stop acting up, the aches and pains will start to disappear and you will move through the decades of your life with more ease, flow and grace. Start practising now so that you can be a master of your own body in years to come. CHW

© Exquisitely yours
Goddess Star Monroe
Come over and indulge in
www.howtobeawoman.com
Or call me to have a chat
01622 763965

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Mirror of our mind our spinal column

Posted on February 15, 2012 by angela

The spinal column, as a mirror of our mind, shows imbalances in the form of misalignments directly related to our ‘inner’ imbalances.

The spinal column, as a mirror of our mind, shows imbalances in the form of misalignments directly related to our ‘inner’ imbalances.

Most people are familiar with the term ‘body-mind-spirit ’, but not many actually have a deeper knowledge about this relation and its consequences in daily life. Well let me give you a brief insight. We need to be in a balanced state on all levels in order to function properly and every step outside that balance regardless on what level – body (physical), mind (mental) or spiritual (soul) – will show consequences; often unwanted ones. Because we live in this world using a physical body we must make sure that this body gets the attention it needs. That requires a balance of the right nutrition, water, rest and activity (exercise), correct movements (posture etc.), air, sun and hormonal activity beside others. It’s not hard to find out which of these body requirements are out of balance but it is not so easy to regain that balance either, because we simply do not have the discipline or we lack self-responsibility or the circumstances of our life makes it difficult. Humans are good at fixing problems fast (but mostly only temporarily), but we are very bad at maintenance and prevention. Did you know that it would ‘cost’ you only about 15 minutes every day to get into a better balance or to stay in a good balance? Of course there are many ways to achieve this, but if I can do this with little effort why should I spend more – right?

If our spine is out of balance then the attached muscular system is also not balanced as is the nervous system that controls, stirs and levels all body functions. By re-aligning the spinal column, people very often show change towards healing not only on the physical level, but also in the other levels of mind and spirit, why? The answer may be that once one part gets into a better balance and therefore regains a ‘higher’ energy level, the other parts also want to follow. This is obviously a two-way road; it counts for the ‘lower’ energy level as well.

Our mind state manifests in our spinal column and connections between misalignments at the spine and ‘inner’ problems can be made and used to work on these issues as well.

These connections are in line with the teachings of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), the theory of the ‘chakras’ (our energy centres) and ancient old folk wisdom that organ problems reflect non-physical problems.CHW

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Hands-On Chronic Pain Prevention

Posted on February 14, 2012 by angela

When treating chronic pain as a therapist it is often apparent that the underlying cause is an injury which possibly occurred a long time ago and which the client may have forgotten about.

A good example of this is a groin strain, a common sporting injury. Strains are caused by an over stretch or contraction of a muscle, or muscle group, and can be due to sporting activities, overuse, overtraining or a physical trauma such as an accident. A groin strain typically affects one or more of the adductor muscle group, although other supporting muscles may also be affected.

Muscle strains are classified into 3 grades according to the extent of the injury and range from a Grade I, which is a mild strain where the muscle is overstretched but the person can continue to use it with mild discomfort, to a Grade III, which is a severe strain with a complete rupture of all muscle fibres or the tendon torn away from the bone. In this type of injury the person will be unable to use the muscle at all.

In all grades of muscle strain, at individual cellular (or fibre) level, the damage affects the ability of that fibre to contract and relax. Some or all of the contractile units become stuck in either a contracted or stretched position and the ability of the muscle to function is compromised.

In the acute phase of injury, which typically lasts for 72 hours, the body produces an inflammatory response causing localised heat, erythema, oedema and pain. The heat and erythema are due to increased local blood flow as leucocytes are attracted to the injury by chemicals released from the tissues. In addition, the body sends extra thrombocytes, oxygen and nutrients to the injury site to start the repair process. Lymph nodes produce additional leucocytes to help break down debris from the damaged tissue and oedema is caused by extra fluid leaking from capillaries into the tissues surrounding the injury, thus stimulating the lymphatic system to also remove debris.

Pain is an important factor in acute injury as its main function is to prevent the person from using the affected area until the tissues have been repaired. It is initially caused by stimulation of local nociceptors through inflammation and chemicals released by the tissues. Some inhibitory nerves are damaged by the injury and this, combined with an increase in sympathetic nerve activity, creates a heightened sensation of acute pain. Substance P, the neurotransmitter responsible for our perception of pain, continues to function normally, although inhibitory neurotransmitters are produced in insufficient quantities to block the increased pain messages being sent to the brain.

Pain also stimulates an autonomic nervous system (ANS) response sending the body into fight or flight mode as the sympathetic nervous system is triggered. Typically this includes increased breathing, heart rate and tightening of muscles, while other body systems such as the urinary, digestive and reproductive systems slow down. Extreme pain can also trigger involuntary responses such as sweating and nausea caused by overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Following the inflammatory response, the body starts to repair damaged tissues. Initially, vascular spasm and blood clotting through the action of thrombocytes reduce blood flow from damaged blood vessels. Collagen fibres are laid down to repair damaged tissue which results in a strong but inflexible patch of scar tissue in a process known as fibrosis.

Once the acute phase of the injury has passed, it moves into a chronic phase which can last for weeks, months or even years. The cause of chronic pain is scar tissue which creates restrictions preventing muscles from returning to normal function. The body is unable to break down the scar tissue and, instead, it adopts other coping strategies such as restricting movement of a body part or changing posture to accommodate. Affected muscles atrophy and shorten through lack of use and, in the case of a groin injury, for example, the body unconsciously starts to favour the other leg. In time, this leads to a change in gait, musculature and posture creating imbalance.

A typical sign of a chronic injury is that the affected person continues to feel pain in the area of the original injury, or even in areas distant to this caused by the formation of trigger points which refer pain along recognised nerve paths – for example, trigger points in the adductors can cause pain deep in the abdomen, pelvis, vagina, rectum and bladder; the anterior and medial thigh, knee and shin; and in the groin and around the ischial tuberosity.

Every time the person uses the injured area, they stretch and irritate the local nociceptors creating a pain response. The area becomes more sensitised to the possibility of pain which develops into a movement-pain-restriction cycle. Over time, the ANS passes the responsibility for maintaining this pain cycle to the brain, thus creating a learned pain behaviour.

Chronic pain can also overload other body systems to cause other seemingly unrelated conditions:

long-term stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to hypertension, due to continually constricted blood vessels;
respiratory conditions, due to constricted bronchial tubes and shallow breathing;
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), due to a sluggish or inactive digestive system
depleted immunity, due to an exhausted lymphatic system.

In all cases of injury, it is therefore essential that the affected person receives hands-on therapy to address the resulting restrictions and adhesions in the tissues, thus preventing an acute injury from developing into a more serious and lasting chronic pain condition. CHW

© Amanda Oswald is an advanced massage therapist with practices in Sussex and London, Harley Street. She is also a qualified teacher, teaching advanced massage theory & practice with Jing in Brighton. amanda@paincareclinic.co.uk.

Written for Choice Health Mag
www.choicehealtmag.com