tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1732222220388775952024-03-05T09:10:57.372-08:00The Body Always KnowsAdvanced Structural and Soft Tissue Therapists know how to listen to the body. They understand the subtle messages that create pain when restrictions in the tissue occurs. Advanced Health Clinic Chiropractors and Massage therapists assist the body in "letting go" of what no longer serves it. This blog is dedicated to the body's innate wisdom of "knowing".Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-9350578073684998212019-06-17T11:14:00.000-07:002019-06-17T11:50:04.062-07:00What is Structural Integration Massage?<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Structural Integration works to balance and align the body’s structure until the entire system is a smoothly functioning coordinated whole. For example, the legs are aligned to the hips, the body is positioned over the feet, and then all of these joints and related tissue are </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">integrated to one another. Some of the benefits people have experienced are reduced pain, increased flexibility, an enhanced sense of body awareness, and improved posture.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the Structural Integration process changes in posture and structure are achieved by manipulating the body's myofascial system. The focus of Structural Integration is on the fascia rather than on the muscles (as in massage). The fascia is a protective layer of connective tissue that surrounds each muscle and muscle fiber. Fascia gives muscles and bodies their shape and support .</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Structural Integration practitioners use a range of techniques to lengthen and reposition the fascia and the body. The amount of pressure used and techniques applied varies. Your practitioner may use slow, deep, stretching movements, or constant applied pressure. You may also be asked to move as pressure is applied or to stand and move during a session.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As tissue is being released, you may experience a variety of sensations ranging from warm and pleasant to uncomfortable. Your practitioner will apply appropriate pressure during the session based on your feedback so the pace of the session is under your control. Sometimes, as the tissue is released and balanced, clients experience the release of emotions, memories or traumas that have been stored in the fascial tissue. Such releases can create the opportunity for change and/or resolution surrounding the issues presented.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Movement education may also be a part of your Structural Integration series. Your practitioner can help you become aware of your habitual and inhibiting movement patterns and help you change these patterns to achieve more fluid movement. Movement education can affect your level of daily functioning by helping to change unhealthy patterns in common activities such as sitting, walking and breathing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Structural Integration is typically performed in a series of ten to thirteen sessions to systematically release the myofascial tissue. Each session builds upon the last, addressing layers of tissue throughout the process. The series is designed to balance your body in segments, with each session addressing a different aspect of your structure and movement. Though the Structural Integration series is designed to work in sequence, your practitioner will often <span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;">recognize your unique needs and use their skills and experience to address those appropriately.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the beginning of a series, your practitioner will often spend some time discussing your health and personal history. It is important that your practitioner know any information that has affected your physical structure, including major accidents, traumas, surgeries, conditions and diseases as well as any current medications.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Typically, sessions are done with the client in shorts or a bathing suit. Your practitioner will observe you standing and moving to assess balance, alignment, mobility and movement patterns. In some cases, if appropriate, photographs</span><span style="color: #4a4a4a;"> may be taken for the benefit of you and your practitioner.</span></span></div>
Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com630 Shepard Ln, Farmington, UT 84025, USA41.0011728 -111.9015941999999816.6917173 -153.21018819999998 65.310628299999991 -70.593000199999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-82409438733622561022018-02-27T11:53:00.000-08:002018-02-27T17:26:03.532-08:00Have Unresolved Back or Shoulder Pain?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Structural Massage may be the answer. Proper functioning muscles are crucial for everything we do in life from sitting down in a chair to executing an intricate gymnastics </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR85cZeNAWT9GnIB93xwhMLZmZFJMqTxw9h4f02gqjN3vgKk-shfZWwuHe_RpStmGEpI3dNZbpfem07f8Yhqm5xWMHjbo2EP244UnCVnpA7coO5W0Pi986zTkhJZ19JHJO5leDd26IO8Y/s1600/12390800_m1+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR85cZeNAWT9GnIB93xwhMLZmZFJMqTxw9h4f02gqjN3vgKk-shfZWwuHe_RpStmGEpI3dNZbpfem07f8Yhqm5xWMHjbo2EP244UnCVnpA7coO5W0Pi986zTkhJZ19JHJO5leDd26IO8Y/s200/12390800_m1+%25283%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">routine. Structural muscle re-education is a massage technique that is designed to restore proper muscle function and imbalances that result from injury and promotes the body’s ability to carry out these tasks. Structural massage tends to be a quicker, more permanent solution to a myriad of muscle and joint problems. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The movement of every joint in the body is controlled and supported by many surrounding muscles. Each of these muscles plays an important role in creating smooth biomechanical movements. However, emotional, nutritional, and physical stresses or injuries can interrupt the neurological message from the brain that tells individual muscles to contract. As a result, one or more muscles are left unable to contract at their full potential. Surrounding muscles are forced to work overtime and the stability of the joint is compromised. The body is then more prone to injuries, muscle spasms, pain, motion restrictions, etc. These muscle and joint dysfunctions can also set the body up for a tendency to develop osteoarthritis. It may be surprising how many conditions muscle activation applies to. Structural massage may resolve headaches, TMJ pain, numbness, tingling, sciatica, and much more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your Structural Massage therapist will identify instabilities of the body through an initial assessment. After that, your therapist will create a plan to help you find relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are a few individuals that take a little longer to respond to the treatment and may notice a difference in a few hours to a few days. Either way, the body can then start to heal. Whether you are a professional athlete, businessman, or stay at home mom; Structural massage may be the answer to help you get your life back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To schedule your Structural Massage session, contact us at <a href="http://www.advancedhealthclinic.com/" target="_blank">Advanced Health Clinic</a> </span>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0630 Shepard Ln, Farmington, UT 84025, USA41.0011728 -111.9015941999999816.6928488 -153.21018819999998 65.3094968 -70.593000199999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-23632288614575390212018-02-01T15:34:00.000-08:002018-02-03T12:21:56.643-08:00How Organs Can Contribute to Pain and Dysfunction<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your body is made up of many interrelated parts such as muscles, bones, nerves, a thin connective </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">tissue called fascia, as well as the internal organs (viscera). Did you know your organs are in perpetual motion? When you breathe, walk and stretch, your organs move in</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OVV2dizjgzsd-fHTUw697iboYWMD_3SQj4cBQPX_-9MnDKKR2q0dFkKPqDAWCVV41CCg0FbbxpASHaorhVpjgZ8qdyMnbOprLi2R7aeAyEGLzXMX8tM2rlOqd_LYPdJ398pbgRmdtos/s1600/12353993-human-backache-and-back-pain-with-an-upper-torso-body-skeleton-showing-the-spine-and-vertebral-colum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OVV2dizjgzsd-fHTUw697iboYWMD_3SQj4cBQPX_-9MnDKKR2q0dFkKPqDAWCVV41CCg0FbbxpASHaorhVpjgZ8qdyMnbOprLi2R7aeAyEGLzXMX8tM2rlOqd_LYPdJ398pbgRmdtos/s320/12353993-human-backache-and-back-pain-with-an-upper-torso-body-skeleton-showing-the-spine-and-vertebral-colum.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
your chest and abdomen. For example, when you take a breath, your kidneys move one inch; and with deep inhalation, they move 4 inches. In a day, they move a little over ½ mile. That's around 19,000 miles in a lifetime In addition your liver moves the length of a football field 6 times in the course of the day. That is a lot of movement! When you are healthy, all the structures move with a very rhythmic, fluid-type movement. Optimum health relies on a harmonious relationship between the motions of the organs and other structures of the body.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many reasons for an organ to lose its mobility: physical traumas, surgeries, sedentary lifestyle, infections, pollution, bad diet, poor posture and pregnancy/delivery. When an organ is no longer freely mobile but is fixed to another structure, the body is forced to compensate. This disharmony creates fixed, abnormal points of tension and the chronic irritation that gives way to functional and structural problems throughout the body – musculoskeletal, vascular, nervous, urinary, respiratory and digestive, to name a few.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine scar tissue around the lungs. Because of the pull of the adhesion, with every breath, the movement patterns of the nearby structures would be altered. This could shift rib motion creating pulls on the spine. These restrictions might then show up as mid-back and neck pain, as well as limited motion in the shoulder. This scenario highlights just one of hundreds of possible ramifications of a small dysfunction - magnified by thousands of repetitions each day. This also explains how pain can often be far removed from the actual cause.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is where Visceral Therapy can help. Contact us at <a href="http://www.advancedhealthclinic.com/">AdvancedHealthClinic</a> for more information.</span>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-71375501873579533752017-04-25T17:51:00.001-07:002017-04-25T17:52:09.860-07:00Lymphatic System 101Here is a crash course video on the lymphatic system<br />
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<br />Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-57118532210169214732015-10-27T17:33:00.002-07:002015-10-27T18:35:47.185-07:00Farmington Utah Massage Therapist participates in Barral Institute's Continuing Education WorkshopJackson Hole, WY - Lisa Larson, LMT, of Farmington, Utah recently participated in the Neuromeningeal Manipulation: An Integrated Approach to Trauma Workshop offered by the Barral Institute, a health resource center that presents continuing education courses to healthcare professionals worldwide.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZOZHCo4L56gnaqiaPmdOxrmN3LalDmP6gUZgiWpa6PJLSW7-Ym67w_dXTz-LlsJmmNedqH6tdSZbwAEOq48_HM7LJVmYw8J1nM3thus6HO3dAIG5HamdudzO34xKbfcG75vXknJgS38/s1600/vm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZOZHCo4L56gnaqiaPmdOxrmN3LalDmP6gUZgiWpa6PJLSW7-Ym67w_dXTz-LlsJmmNedqH6tdSZbwAEOq48_HM7LJVmYw8J1nM3thus6HO3dAIG5HamdudzO34xKbfcG75vXknJgS38/s320/vm.jpg" width="266" /></a>The Visceral Manipulation Curriculum was developed by French Osteopath, Jean-Pierre Barral who has taught the techniques worldwide, as well as trained and certified Instructors to teach for The Barral Institute. Visceral Manipulation is a manual therapy in which light, specifically placed pressure encourages normal mobility, tone and tissue motion of the internal organs and their connective tissue. These gentle manipulations have the potential to affect the physiological function and the structural integrity of the entire body.<br />
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Lisa Larson, LMT, has been a massage therapist for over 20 years and specializes in Visceral Manipulation, Manual Lymph Drainage, and Medical Massage. Lisa works at <a href="http://www.advancedhealthclinic.com%20/" target="_blank">Advanced Health Clinic</a>, one of largest Holistic and Integrative Wellness Clinics located in Utah.<br />
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To schedule for therapy, or learn more about Lisa, please visit <a href="http://www.advancedhealthclinic.com/">www.AdvancedHealthClinic.com</a><br />
For more information on Visceral Manipulation or the Barral Institute, visit <a href="http://www.barralinstitute.com/">www.barralinstitute.com</a>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-52170884595608217852015-08-11T17:57:00.002-07:002015-08-11T17:57:31.069-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSXn3j6FmG-c8HkaKvaQ8Z2gkkomTcCPhRCch0daH0677hYTt5usspyl67FexxbWS8yLHZOo74XX-178i22XOO-xuvfQg82Y8pbtFZPNClVgiLbgwmrxeXcNZcAA7TZUKFP_cLVgAxz4/s1600/infant-massage-281x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSXn3j6FmG-c8HkaKvaQ8Z2gkkomTcCPhRCch0daH0677hYTt5usspyl67FexxbWS8yLHZOo74XX-178i22XOO-xuvfQg82Y8pbtFZPNClVgiLbgwmrxeXcNZcAA7TZUKFP_cLVgAxz4/s200/infant-massage-281x300.jpg" width="187" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Touch is a human need. It is one of the first senses we develop. Some children who not had healthy touch have failure to thrive. Sadly, there have even been deaths because a child did not receive human touch in the way that they need. Adults, as well as children, can experience depression and even become ill if they do not experience healthy touch on a regular basis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Healthy touch can give us a feeling of connection, it can ground us, it can help reduce anxiety or elevate a depressive mood. It helps us bond emotionally with ourselves and with others. Healthy touch can help lower blood pressure, strengthen our immune system, as well reduce pain and inflammation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Healthy Touch is an essential component to our</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> health and well-being. For more information, please visit our website at <a href="http://www.advancedhealthclinic.com/" target="_blank">AdvancedHealthClinic</a>. </span><br />
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<br />Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-8359920851095849492015-08-06T17:30:00.002-07:002015-08-06T17:35:27.665-07:00Why Should You Get Massage on a Regular Basis?<table class="contentpaneopen" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.2000007629395px; width: 890px;"><tbody>
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Are You Feeling Tired, Stressed out, or Sore?</div>
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Almost everyone agrees a good massage feel great - but what you might not realize is how good a regular massage is for your overall health. Did you know that massage can improve your performance, lengthen the time between your chiropractic visits, aid in recovery, help prevent and eliminate injuries, reduce stress and even enhance metabolism and circulation!</div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.2000007629395px;">The reason you feel different after a massage is because it is healing and invigorating tired, aching or injured muscles. Massage increases blood land lymph circulation. Lymph is a fluid that rids body tissues of waste, is dependent on the squeezing effect of muscles. An active person has better lymph flow than an inactive person. However, stimulation from vigorous activity can lead to increased waste, which can negate the benefit. This is where massage has a huge advantage. Massage can dramatically aid lymph movement, which together with blood, supplies nutrients and oxygen and rids wastes and toxins. It is easy to understand why good circulation is so important to our health and why massage can be so beneficial just for this purpose.</span></div>
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Massage Has so Many Health Benefits:</div>
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<li>Increases the blood's oxygen capacity by 10-15%</li>
<li>Helps loosen contracted, shortened muscles and stimulate weak, flaccid muscles. This muscle "balancing" can even help posture and promote more efficient movement;</li>
<li>Speeds recovery from exercise-induced fatigue;</li>
<li>Increase production of gastric juices, saliva and urine;</li>
<li>Increase excretion of nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus, and sodium chloride (salt). This suggests that the metabolic rate increases;</li>
<li>Balance the nervous system by soothing or stimulating it, depending on which effect is needed;</li>
<li>Improves function of the oil and sweat glands that lubricate, clean and cool the skin. Though, inflexible skin can become softer and more supple;</li>
<li>Indirectly or directly stimulating nerves the supply internal organs can dilate the organs' blood vessels, improving blood supply.</li>
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<span style="color: #62006d; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21px; line-height: 21px;">Experience the Many Benefits of Massage - Call to Schedule Now:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #62006d; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21px; line-height: 21px;">www.AdvancedHealthClinic.com</span></span></div>
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Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-9689101923829954282013-03-11T10:57:00.000-07:002013-03-11T10:57:35.438-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfrN_vcVo6sb64dZ_bL6mePDFkP4ow1n2POlF6auYIbLXg2mAwa0wXUieQLLIhoVUbFzkPtNLH9Sn3yeD2smEk14oLiuHWL4l1d1UpqQUS5b_dsKxWEfFqGy17ZTrgVhyPuMwgp9EVok/s1600/10121022_m+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfrN_vcVo6sb64dZ_bL6mePDFkP4ow1n2POlF6auYIbLXg2mAwa0wXUieQLLIhoVUbFzkPtNLH9Sn3yeD2smEk14oLiuHWL4l1d1UpqQUS5b_dsKxWEfFqGy17ZTrgVhyPuMwgp9EVok/s320/10121022_m+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Several millions of people are being struck by Acid Reflux disease -
adults, children, and even infants cannot escape from its affliction. <br />
<br />
Basically, the Acid Reflux or heartburn pertains to the disease
caused by upflowing of the acid from the stomach up to the throat. <br />
<br />
Scientifically, the process occurs when there is a relaxation that
occurs in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing then the
stomach juices to flow back into the esophagus.<br />
<br />
There are already various conditions that have been connected to
this. Several of these are the average persons’ increase in anxiety,
lack of bodily exercise, and unhealthy diet. All of these have sole
effect in the body—the body increase in the production of acid, thus,
resulting to Acid Reflux disease. <br />
<br />
There are already findings that show wherein the boost in the
production of acid in the body can also be connected to kidneys,
digestive respiratory and heart disorders as well. <br />
<br />
The symptoms of the Acid Relux come in difficulty in swallowing,
vomiting, headache, constipation, and insomnia. These are all
indications that acids had already invaded the esophagus. <br />
<br />
The only way to battle the disease is definitely to reduce the entire
amount of body acid. Through this the production of body acid will be
corrected, the disorder will be fixed, and so, overturning the sign of
the Acid Reflux. <br />
<br />
If the repeated occurrence of acid in the esophagus will not be
treated immediately, the person affected by this will continually suffer
from the extreme pain as it directs to the harsh stage of Acid Reflux,
and could probably lead to fatal situation.<br />
<br />
Although time was able to establish the numerous medicines which are
specially made to treat the disease. Most of them still deal to a
serious trouble—side effects, costly prices, short-term results,
permanent prescriptions. <br />
<br />
The issue on the costs of medicinal cure have always been stressing
the patients; this is a common scenario, especially for those who are
incapable to afford this. For this reason, there are several ways that have also been practiced
to cure the disease. This would only require simple methods which are
stress-free in the pocket.<br />
<br />
The methods are only simple. Home treatments specifically could
correct the body acid imbalance and this are assured to bring an
enduring relief.<br />
<br />
The primary recommendations for this disease which will not require
for a heavy cost is proper diet, in particular, a healthy eating habit
and a regular physical exercise. <br />
<br />
Believe it or not, chewing gum is advisable to neutralize the acid
instantly, and this will bring out an instant relief. Likewise, honey
and aloe juices create the same effect, they neutralize the acid in the
throat and they are offered in the nearby local stores. All of these are
directly equivalent to a medical prescription of a doctor, the sole
difference lies in their prices.<br />
<br />
Also, try to remove in your diet the drinks that contain caffeine,
alcohol beverages, fatty and fried foods, spicy foods, citrus fruits,
chocolate. If you think you are totally addicted to them, you can still
take them, though only in reasonable quantities. <br />
<br />
Some people find relief in using essential oils, including digestive blends or peppermint oil. There can also be issues of scar tissue around the sphinter, which may be helped with Visceral Manipulation and homeopathics that support scar tissue release. However, if you are frequently attacked by the symptoms, you have no
other choice but to completely get rid of them, or else, the
consequences can be damaging if left untreated long-term.<br />
Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-23590001687815459412011-08-16T14:24:00.000-07:002011-08-16T14:24:50.530-07:00Advanced Health Clinic: Congratulations to Martha Bray!<a href="http://advancedhealthclinic.blogspot.com/2011/08/congratulations-to-martha-bray.html?spref=bl">Advanced Health Clinic: Congratulations to Martha Bray!</a>: "Holistic Family Nurse Practitioner Martha Bray, FNP-BC, APRN, BCIM, of Farmington, UT, has been awarded Diplomat of the College of Whole Med..."
<br />Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-54943648446521019182011-07-06T13:18:00.000-07:002011-07-06T13:31:46.099-07:00Body Sense Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYQXZwYe0G3vg8TvJR_9soeek2xkNyvfOf4njbJSY3QETXjXRH69gEura-h4KAq0jvlaytnfzBEEltyVvPOGZ31heRjwMWd-AWooO7noVDR_zBiK3rStOcESLvTXK-O3UPiYxlT_jb5E/s1600/happy-healthy-people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYQXZwYe0G3vg8TvJR_9soeek2xkNyvfOf4njbJSY3QETXjXRH69gEura-h4KAq0jvlaytnfzBEEltyVvPOGZ31heRjwMWd-AWooO7noVDR_zBiK3rStOcESLvTXK-O3UPiYxlT_jb5E/s320/happy-healthy-people.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did you know that</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">smartphones may be causing chronic symptoms such as “Smartphone Neck Syndrome” and “Blackberry Thumb,” and that massage can help.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you interested in</span> discovering the important principles of proper stretching. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If so, I encourage you <span style="font-size: x-small;">to take a look at </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cp.revolio.com/issue/35198"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Body Sense Summer Magazine</em></strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and discover the healing power of touch!</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://cp.revolio.com/issue/35198"></a>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-54466630266239364642011-04-22T09:45:00.000-07:002011-04-22T09:45:14.795-07:00Stretching: Feet: Tennis Ball Plantar Fascia Massage<b>About the exercise<br />
</b>The plantar fascia is a tissue on the bottom of your foot that runs from your toes to your heel and helps maintain your foot's arch. <br />
Often due to a collapsed arch, overuse and poor footwear, the tissue gets abused. This can lead to a painful condition called plantar fasciitis.<br />
For people with this condition, stretching and massaging the plantar fascia is essential for rehabilitation. The tennis ball plantar fascia massage is one of the best ways to do so. <br />
<br />
<b>Amount and frequency<br />
</b>Perform the tennis ball plantar fascia massage as often as possible throughout the day, or as often as your practitioner recommends.Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-10632570969477433902011-04-04T11:19:00.001-07:002011-04-22T09:27:33.259-07:00The Power of Healing Touch<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d6a4d344f5441324d6a453d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="303" alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d6a4d344f5441324d6a453d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="46" alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Slideshow created with Smilebox</td></tr>
</table>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-44986923005738813332011-03-07T12:07:00.000-08:002011-03-07T12:07:19.825-08:00The Therapeutic Value of Visceral ManipulationThis is a great article published by the Barral Institute:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.barralinstitute.com/articles/docs/stlwj_the_therapeutic_value_of_vm.pdf">The Therapeutic Value of Visceral Manipulation</a>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-36549227188392749342011-02-28T17:40:00.000-08:002011-02-28T17:40:59.518-08:00BREATH THERAPY<div class="articleBody" style="line-height: 1.6; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 8px;"><div class="articleHeadline" style="text-align: center;"><strong><u><span style="color: black;">Breath Therapy: A Mind–Body Awareness Approach </span></u></strong></div><div class="articleHeadline" style="text-align: center;"><strong><u><span style="color: black;">for Chronic Low-Back Pain</span></u></strong></div><div class="articleSubHead"> </div><div class="articleSubHead">Contemporary treatment for low-back pain runs the gamut, from the conventional to the alternative, with sufferers seeking relief any way they can. What if it were simply a matter of mindfulness and attention to the breath? In a small pilot study from the Osher Center of Integrative Medicine in San Francisco, California, a research team led by Wolf Mehling, MD, used just such a concept for comparison of breath therapy and physical therapy for treatment of low-back pain. The results showed comparable clinical benefits for both groups, but for breath therapy subjects there also emerged a "new and improved relationship to the body," with accompanying insight into the role of stress in back pain and improved coping skills for most of the group.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">1</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />At the heart of breath therapy is the importance of body awareness, or proprioception. "If you have back pain," Mehling says, "the normal situation for a patient is they don't really focus well in the body area where they have lots of pain. They can have difficulty in perceiving subtle sensations that are not pain. The therapist teaches that they can perceive in that pain area the subtle movements that are related to breathing. If you learn those perceptions, that seems to be one of the mechanisms where enhanced body awareness helps in reducing pain."<br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" /><br />
<span class="ce_sectionhead">Breath Therapy</span><br class="ce_br" />As a mind-body approach, breath therapy integrates body awareness, breathing, meditation, and movement. Mehling says much of what happens during the therapy is not easily visible, "similar to the 'body scan' in meditation or mindfulness-based stress reduction or qi gong. It is a Western method, however," he says, "developed since the 1920s in Germany, where all the other approaches such as Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, eutony, sensory awareness, functional relaxation, autogenic training, bioenergetics, Else Gindler work, etc., have their European roots."<br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />Similar to meditation, breath therapy emphasizes awareness in the present, but also adds hands-on techniques and verbal cues to focus on distinct body areas. For example, with the client lying prone on the table, the therapist places her hands on the sacrum and asks the client to perceive subtle changing movements occurring in that area. "The verbal cues hook the patient's attention to a certain region," Mehling says. With the therapist keeping firm but gentle contact, the client is asked to feel how the movement pushes the hand or to feel the breath movement approaching the hand. The approach can also include stretching at the back, legs, or neck, with the intention of enhancing awareness and allowing for less restricted movement where pain is held.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">2</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />"Breath movements happen in the entire body," Mehling says. "The therapy concept is you enhance diaphragmatic breathing in order to promote relaxation. One of the striking things is you really feel, all of a sudden, movement of the breath in a part of the body you never were aware of, for example in the pelvis, the sacrum, or the thighs."<br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" /><br />
<span class="ce_sectionhead">Diverse Treatments, Comparable Results</span><br class="ce_br" />According to Mehling's team, "Recent studies report that patients with chronic low-back pain suffer from a deficit of trunk proprioception." They note that the causal relationship between the two is unclear. "Is lack of proprioception a byproduct of chronic pain following an injury, or is lack of body awareness and proprioception a risk factor for low-back pain, particularly chronic low-back pain?" the team writes. Building on preliminary data that has shown benefits of breath therapy for improved body-awareness as well as improvement in postural control and low-back pain, the research team developed a randomized controlled trial to compare this mind-body approach to a neuromuscular-biomechanical approach. Behind this is the hypothesis that "an improvement in low-back pain could be paralleled by a measurable improvement in proprioception."<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">3</span> For the control intervention, they chose physical therapy, considered the gold-standard treatment for this condition.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">4</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />Initially, thirty-six patients were randomized equally to the two study groups, but the numbers dropped by the posttest measurement date, with fourteen remaining for breath therapy and twelve for physical therapy. The participants were primarily women, with an average age of forty-nine years and an average of one-year history of moderate low-back pain. Both groups began treatment with a one-hour introductory evaluation session, followed by twelve intervention sessions, forty-five minutes each, over a six to eight week period. All sessions took place in the same setting. Therapists for breath therapy and physical therapy treatment came from faculty at the Middendorf Breath Institute in Berkeley, California, and the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitative Science at University of California, respectively. In addition to following the specified treatment protocol for their particular group, the therapists provided instruction to their subjects for a home-based daily exercise program. Subjects were also asked to keep a diary of their experience, including their thoughts and feelings related to the therapy or therapist, and whether or not their thinking had changed in relationship to their body, back, pain, or life in general.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">5</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />Measurements taken at baseline and following the treatment course included a pain intensity scale (10 cm VAS), a low-back pain-specific functional disability scale (Roland Morris Scale), and a form measuring functional overall health status (Short Form-36 or SF-36). At the six-month follow-up, a recovery scale was added to these same measurements. Researchers also sought to document changes in whole-body proprioception and body awareness by assessing postural stability with the use of a sensory organization test and various positioning on a static force plate. Both of these tests involve having participants attempt to maintain balance on a platform while conditions related to sensory input vary.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">6</span><br class="ce_br" />Outcome measures showed a clinically and statistically significant improvement for both groups, from baseline to end of treatment period, in pain intensity (VAS) and functional overall health status (SF-36). Slight differences emerged in some components of the SF-36, with significant improvement in physical and emotional role for breath therapy and in vitality for the physical therapy group. Breath therapy subjects also showed significant improvement in low-back pain-related functional disability.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">7</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />Although anticipated improvements were found in balance measures, the team notes these changes were not clinically or statistically significant. In previous studies with breath therapy, these measures have been administered before and immediately following treatment, showing clinical benefit. But in this study measurements were taken one week following the last session and may indicate, according to the team, that the measured effect is short-term rather than significant in long-term benefit. The lack of correlation of these measures to the clinical outcome casts doubt, they say, on whether these are valid measures for chronic low-back pain research. Self-reports of the home exercise program also showed no correlation to the clinical improvements noted, but the authors point out a limitation in documentation of compliance.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">8</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />In terms of numbers, outcome at the six to eight week intervention period showed clinically meaningful improvement for seventy-one percent of the breath therapy subjects and fifty percent of physical therapy subjects (VAS and Roland Morris measurements). At the six-month follow-up, that trend had reversed with more of the breath therapy participants evidencing a relapse or exacerbation of their condition. Improvement scores for the breath therapy group dropped to 40 percent (VAS) and 67 percent (Roland Morris) with the physical therapy group at 45 percent (VAS) and 73 percent (Roland Morris). However, the six-month measurement was a single point in time and was at variance with monthly pain scores over that time period which showed no difference in relapse numbers between the two groups for the cumulative period.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">9</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />"Relapse rate, as well as responsiveness of treatment for chronic low-back pain, is dependent on psychosocial as much as musculoskeletal, bio-mechanical, and neuro-motor predictors," the authors write. Noting a study limitation in that these factors were not independently assessed, they suggest future studies examine the role of psychosocial, cultural, and functional patient characteristics in regard to responsiveness to the two therapeutic approaches.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">10</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />While clinical benefits for the two groups were shown to be comparable, a major difference emerged for breath therapy subjects in regard to their relationship to their body and their chronic pain. As contrasted with few or no entries regarding emotional effects, insights about pain, and coping with stress for those in the physical therapy group, there were "rather rich entries" in the diaries of breath therapy subjects. Examples given by the team include: "Breath therapy has taught me how to relax and be in touch with my own being," "I look at my body a little more friendly and understanding," " ... through breath therapy I am trying to incorporate the painful part into the rest of my body." This qualitative data, the team writes, suggests the breath therapy subjects experienced "a different kind of learning" that improved their relationship to their body, gave them insight into the connection between their stress and pain, and for most, improved their coping skills.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">11</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" /><br />
<span class="ce_sectionhead">Toward a Combination Approach</span><br class="ce_br" />Although the breath therapy and physical therapy interventions differed in their application, both were hands on and administered by highly trained, empathic, and motivated practitioners. In light of the findings that both are of equal benefit, the team suggests two interpretations. It may be that improvement can be found with "any individual, hands-on, highly motivated or empathic attention" regardless of the approach and its orientation. Additionally, with these two methods each providing "equally valuable elements," combining the approaches may prove superior to either approach alone and is suggested for further study.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">12</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />"The physical therapists who treated the control group were very qualified, particularly for chronic pain," Mehling says. "They were the very best physical therapists you could get in San Francisco." It was learned that one of the practitioners also incorporated some breath techniques in the treatment, he says, thus introducing an element of body awareness. And as stated in Mehling's published article, physical therapy treatment for chronic pain is adapted to the individual, and it is not uncommon for the therapist to include diaphragmatic breathing and mental imagery education in their approach.<span style="font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">13</span> While it is noted that this may have reduced the chance of finding a difference in benefits between the two groups, it would also seem to bolster the idea that combining a mind-body learning element with physical therapy would only enhance the results. <br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />"There's a big discussion in medicine," Mehling says. "Should you put your attention into the pain or distract yourself? There's a confusion." What is emerging in newer studies, he says, is that it seems to depend on the type of attention. If it's hypervigilance or fear, the answer is no. But if awareness is applied in a meditative way, there can be benefit. "The type of attention seems to be the key. There seems to be a crucial difference between thinking, worrying, mental ruminating about your back pain versus feeling and sensing, deeply exploring your pain in a non-judgmental, embodied, immediate fashion." <br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" /><br />
<span class="ce_sectionhead">Notes</span><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" />1. Wolf E. Mehling, "Breath Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain," Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 10 (2006), 98.<br class="ce_br" />2. Wolf E. Mehling et al., "Randomized, Controlled Trial of Breath Therapy for Patients with Chronic Low-Back Pain," Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 11, no. 4 (July/Aug 2005): 46.<br class="ce_br" />3. Ibid, 45. <br class="ce_br" />4. Ibid, 50. <br class="ce_br" />5. Ibid, 45-47.<br class="ce_br" />6. Ibid, 46.<br class="ce_br" />7. Ibid, 47-48.<br class="ce_br" />8. Ibid, 49, 51.<br class="ce_br" />9. Ibid.<br class="ce_br" />10. Ibid, 51.<br class="ce_br" />11. Ibid.<br class="ce_br" />12. Ibid, 50.<br class="ce_br" />13. Ibid.</div><br />
<div class="articleSubHead"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Somatic Research</span></div><div class="articleByLine"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By Shirley Vanderbilt</span></div><strong><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally published in </span></em></strong><a class="ce_link" href="http://www.massageandbodywork.com/" target="_new"><strong><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Massage & Bodywork </span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">magazine, December/January 2007. Copyright 2007. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.</span></em></strong><br class="ce_br" /><br class="ce_br" /></div>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-64583836189130170182011-02-22T16:13:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:13:42.048-08:00The Benefits of Massage<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">The Benefits Of Massage</span></strong>What exactly are the benefits of receiving massage or bodywork treatments? Useful for all of the conditions listed below and more, massage can: <br />
<ul><li>Alleviate <strong>low-back pain</strong> and improve range of motion. </li>
<li>Assist with shorter, easier labor for <strong>expectant mothers</strong> and shorten maternity hospital stays. </li>
<li>Ease medication dependence. </li>
<li>Enhance <strong>immunity</strong> by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system. </li>
<li>Exercise and stretch <strong>weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.</strong> </li>
<li>Help <strong>athletes</strong> of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts. </li>
<li>Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin. </li>
<li>Increase <strong>joint flexibility</strong>. </li>
<li>Lessen <strong>depression and anxiety</strong>. </li>
<li>Promote tissue regeneration, reducing <strong>scar tissue and stretch marks</strong>. </li>
<li>Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving <strong>circulation</strong>. </li>
<li>Reduce <strong>postsurgery adhesions and swelling</strong>. </li>
<li>Reduce <strong>spasms and cramping</strong>. </li>
<li>Relax and soften injured, tired, and <strong>overused muscles</strong>. </li>
<li>Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller. </li>
<li><strong>Relieve</strong> migraine pain. </li>
</ul><span style="color: #93c47d;"><strong>A Powerful Ally</strong></span>There’s no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.<br />
<br />
Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress. This translates into: <br />
<ul><li>Decreased anxiety. </li>
<li>Enhanced sleep quality. </li>
<li>Greater energy. </li>
<li>Improved concentration. </li>
<li>Increased circulation. </li>
<li>Reduced fatigue. </li>
</ul>Furthermore, clients often report a sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible physical benefits.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><strong>Profound Effects</strong></span>In response to massage, specific physiological and chemical changes cascade throughout the body, with profound effects. Research shows that with massage: <br />
<ul><li>Arthritis sufferers note fewer aches and less stiffness and pain. </li>
<li>Asthmatic children show better pulmonary function and increased peak air flow. </li>
<li>Burn injury patients report reduced pain, itching, and anxiety. </li>
<li>High blood pressure patients demonstrate lower diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones. </li>
<li>Premenstrual syndrome sufferers have decreased water retention and cramping. </li>
<li>Preterm infants have improved weight gain. </li>
</ul>Research continues to show the enormous benefits of touch—which range from treating chronic diseases, neurological disorders, and injuries, to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles. Consequently, the medical community is actively embracing bodywork, and massage is becoming an integral part of hospice care and neonatal intensive care units. Many hospitals are also incorporating on-site massage practitioners and even spas to treat postsurgery or pain patients as part of the recovery process.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><strong>Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits</strong></span>Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-60040156033292580602011-02-22T15:50:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:50:15.480-08:00Wellness on WingsVacation time is approaching, and with it long and sometimes stressful flights.<br />
But flying doesn't have to be a bad experience. There are plenty of good tips for healthy and comfortable air travel. Here are five from MedAire, a company that provides in-flight emergency medical service, and the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).<br />
<b>Put your spine in an upright and seated position</b>. To prevent back problems related to hours of sitting, ask a flight attendant for pillows or blankets, which the ACA says you can put behind your low back to maintain the natural curve of your spine.<br />
<b>Travel light</b>. Lots of travel-related back problems occur when people lift heavy baggage into overhead compartments. The ACA recommends travelers check any baggage heavier than 10% of their weight and avoid twisting movements when loading baggage into overhead compartments.<br />
<b>Go with the flow</b>. When you're seated, move around to improve blood flow and avoid muscle cramps. Massage your legs and calves, move your knees up and down, shrug your shoulders, stretch your neck and regularly take deep breaths.<br />
<b>Take a stand -- slowly</b>. According to MedAire, some people get lightheaded during travel and others faint when they stand up too quickly. Many cases of fainting on planes occur when people get up to go to the washroom.<br />
If you feel lightheaded during your flight, sit with your head between your knees or, if you can, lie down. Stay in this position until the feeling passes. If neither of these is an option, squat down as low as you can, provided the seat belt lights are off. Also, stand up slowly and stay by your seat for a moment before walking up the aisle. That way, if you start to feel lightheaded, you can quickly sit back down.<br />
<b>Wet your appetite</b>. Drink lots of water, about one glass for every hour of flight. Airplane cabins are notoriously dry, and get drier as flights drag onLisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-672258523917136562011-02-22T06:20:00.001-08:002011-02-22T06:20:06.024-08:00Visceral Manipulation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Life and motion are intertwined. Although we can have motion without life, we cannot have life without motion. Of particular importance are those motions - not ordinarily visible - that take place within the human body. They're linked to many levels of activity, from cellular pulsations to rhythmic contractions of the heart, diaphragm, even the craniosacral system.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The visceral system relies on the interconnected synchronicity between the motions of all the organs and structures of the body. At optimal health, this harmonious relationship remains stable despite the body's endless varieties of motion. But when one organ cannot move in harmony with its viscera due to abnormal tone, adhesions or displacement, it works against the body's other organs and muscular, membranous, fascial and osseous structures. This disharmony creates fixed, abnormal points of tension that the body is forced to move around. And that chronic irritation, in turn, paves the way for postural distortion, neuromuscular dysfunction, and disease processes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Imagine an adhesion around the lungs. It would create a modified axis that demands abnormal accommodations from nearby body structures. For example, the adhesion could alter rib motion, which could then create imbalanced forces on the vertebral column and, with time, possibly develop a dysfunctional relationship with other structures. This scenario highlights just one of hundreds of possible ramifications of a small dysfunction - magnified by thousands of repetitions each day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks to the dedicated work of Jean-Pierre Barral, a Physiotherapist (RPT) and Osteopath (DO), healthcare practitioners today can use the rhythmic motions of the visceral system as important therapeutic tools.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Barral's clinical work with the viscera led to his development of a form of manual therapy that focuses on the internal organs, their environment and the potential influence on many structural and physiological dysfunctions. The term he coined for this therapy was Visceral Manipulation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Visceral Manipulation relies on the palpation of normal and abnormal forces within the body. By using specific techniques, therapists can evaluate how abnormal forces interplay, overlap and affect the normal body forces at work. The goal is to help the body's normal forces remove abnormal effects, whatever their sources. Those effects can be global, encompassing many areas of bodily function.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">HOW DOES VISCERAL MANIPULATION HELP YOU?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Visceral Manipulation is used to locate and solve problems throughout the body. It encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your organs, dissipate the negative effects of stress, enhance mobility of the musculoskeletal system through the connective tissue attachments, and influence general metabolism. Today, a wide variety of healthcare professionals perform Visceral Manipulation. Practitioners include osteopathic physicians, allopathic physicians, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists and other licensed body workers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">HOW IS VISCERAL MANIPULATION PERFORMED?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Visceral Manipulation is based on the specific placement of soft manual forces to encourage the normal mobility, tone and motion of the viscera and their connective tissues. These gentle manipulations can potentially improve the functioning of individual organs, the systems the organs function within, and the structural integrity of the entire body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Harmony and health exist when motion is free and excursion is full - when motion is not labored, overexcited, depressed, or conflicting with neighboring structures and their mobility. Therapists using Visceral Manipulation assess the dynamic functional actions as well as the somatic structures that perform individual activities. They also evaluate the quality of the somatic structures and their functions in relation to an overall harmonious pattern, with motion serving as the gauge for determining quality.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Due to the delicate and often highly reactive nature of the visceral tissues, gentle force precisely directed reaps the greatest results. As with other methods of manipulation that affect the body deeply, Visceral Manipulation works only to assist the forces already at work. Because of that, trained therapists can be sure of benefiting the body rather than adding further injury or disorganization.</span>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173222222038877595.post-2273412527987976942011-02-22T04:11:00.000-08:002011-02-22T04:19:23.357-08:00Massage Therapy<p>People have been practicing massage as a healing therapy for centuries. Massage is currently the most widely used muscular therapy, with an estimated 100,000 practitioners in the U.S. Today, the term "therapeutic massage" refers to a range of manual therapies involving the manipulation of the soft-tissue structures in the body. In most cases, massage relieves muscle tension, reduces stress, and evokes feelings of calmness. Varieties of massage range from gentle stroking and kneading of muscles and other soft tissues to deeper manual techniques. Some focus on one specific function of the body (see lymphatic massage below). Others, such as trigger point and myotherapy, seek to relieve muscle contraction in a target area. Most practitioners rely on a combination of techniques. Currently, few clinical trials examine the effects of massage. However, practitioners believe that the therapeutic benefits of massage are due, in part, to its ability to affect changes in the musculoskeletal, circulator-lymphatic, and nervous systems.</p><p><b><i>Lymphatic massage</i> </b></p><p>You use lymphatic massage to stimulate lymphatic circulation, which helps the body eliminate toxins. Lymph stagnation may cause swelling and pain. Although all types of massage stimulate lymph flow, Vodder Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD), developed by Danish physical therapist Emil Vodder in France in the 1930s, focuses on draining excess lymph. In Europe, physicians frequently prescribe MLD for sprains, bruises, and muscular spasms caused by overuse or chronic tension. These physicians recommend it following certain surgeries to shrink swelling. Therapists generally use a very light pulsing touch along the lymph vessels.</p><p><b><i>Rolfing (structural integration)</i> </b></p><p>Rolfing, developed in the 1940s by biophysicist Ida Rolf, seeks to realign the body so that it conserves energy, releases tension, moves more easily, restructures itself, and functions better neurologically. Rolfers apply pressure to the fascia-connective tissues between layers of muscle-to stretch it, lengthen it, and make it more flexible. Rolfing generally requires a basic series of 10 sessions-usually one per week. Practitioners take 700 hours of graduate-level courses at the Rolf Institute to become certified.</p><p><b><i>Myofascial release</i> </b></p><p>Myofascial release is based on a whole-body approach; the ultimate objective is to help the patient achieve postural changes and optimal body alignment. Injuries to fascia, or connective tissue, in one area of the body can put tension on adjacent areas-even areas far from the site of the injury. Therapists trained in myofascial release apply gentle, sustained pressure and stretching to injured fascia. Once the therapist identifies the problem area, he or she gently stretches the tissue along the direction of the muscle fibers until he or she feels resistance. The therapist holds this position until the soft tissue releases and repeats this process until all tissues are fully extended.</p><p><b><i>Trigger point and myotherapy</i> </b></p><p>Trigger-point massage and myotherapy are pain-relief techniques for soothing muscle spasms and cramping. Therapists apply pressure to trigger points-tender areas where muscles have been damaged-and thereby increase blood flow to these areas. Because muscle spasms reduce the blood supply to involved tissues, applying pressure to these trigger points restores this decreased blood supply and soothes the spasms.</p></articlebody>Lisa Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054261338064520784noreply@blogger.com0