Spring Cleaning: Body Edition

After a long cold winter, most of our bodies are ready for some more sunshine to kiss our skin, and more movement and time spent outside, breathing in fresh air. Before you hit the ground running with your Spring activities, consider these "Top 4 Tips for Spring Cleaning your Body" to prepare for this season of renewal. 

1) Water your Internal Garden! 

Hydration is key when increasing your activity level and being outside for longer durations. Not only do we need H2O for all of our cellular processing, but our gut health depends on it for helping to flush out all the toxins from our system. Using a re-usable water bottle is helpful way to transport your water where ever you go. Personally, I use a glass or non-BPA plastic bottle daily and try to keep track of how many times I have filled it up to be sure I am getting the proper amount of hydration in a day. If you need a little flavor to keep you motivated, throw in a slice of lemon, cucumber (or both), or other fruit to liven up your hydration experience. 

2) Walk before you Run!! 

Some of you may be ambitiously planning to participate in a 5K or other type of actual race this year. For others, tackling house cleaning projects or yard work may SEEM as daunting as running a marathon! Regardless of your activities, be sure to actively warm your body up before heading into more strenuous movements. If you are following a "Couch to 5K" program, or working with a coach to train for your races, good for you!! Listen to your body and take breaks as needed as it is much easier to steadily increase the demands on your body than to pick up the pieces after "over-training" injuries may occur! For those of you tackling the home/yard projects, most of them are done in front of the body or "flexed" positions. To counteract all of the sorting, lifting, scrubbing, raking, planting, and pulling positions, be sure to include some Extension activities in your routine: Stand up straight, reaching your leg back behind your body (one leg at a time). Reach your arms all the way up overhead to open your chest and shoulders. These will help to reduce tightness and soreness from the forward flexed postures that are required for your Spring Cleaning tasks. 

3) Wring out your Waists & Wastes!!

Many of you know that our muscles MOVE our bodies from place to place. Did you know that our muscles are also responsible for pumping our Lymphatic Fluids out of the body? The lymphatics are the waste removal system of the body. They rely on the pressure from muscle contractions to serve as pumps for the flow of the waste materials out of the body. Regular movement is required to keep our "pipes" clean. Even more reason to get back in for a session to make sure that ALL of your muscles are functioning efficiently!  Some other ways you can help the lymphatic flow are by dry brushing your skin, or bouncing on a trampoline (also known as rebounding). Since many of our lymph ducts are in our armpits, abdomen and groin, marching in place and bringing your opposite elbow toward your knee will allow your core muscles to massage your internal organs and flush those major lymphatic ducts.  Ask me at your next session to teach you my favorite Lymph blaster, "The Jiggle" as that one is easier to teach (and funnier to watch) in person. Hee hee! :) 

4) "Treat Yourself Well" (TYW) Exercise

My favorite new movement routine is a simple way to open your heart, allow the divine energy to flow into your body and energy centers, and shine that positive light and energy out to our planet as you share your unique gifts with the world.  This activity also helps to undo all of the stuck stress related to excessive forward flexion activities and postures. I've shared this before but it is so worth repeating, and it's so easy to remember and perform no matter where you are: at home, on vacation, at the office, wherever!!  

How to perform the TYW exercise: 

T: Spread your arms out to the sides to make your body look like a letter "T". Feel the opening of your chest as you squeeze your shoulder blades behind you. Spread your fingers wide and reach them back behind your body as you reach them away from the center of your body to feel the elongation throughout your entire arms, chest and torso. Take a few breaths in that position. 

Y: Reach your arms up and out with your thumbs facing backward, as if your body is forming a letter "Y". Feel the chest open again as you drop your shoulders down away from your ears and reach your arms up to the corners of the room. Extend your fingers again to feel the elongation through your entire arm and hand. Take a few breaths in that position. 

W: Bend your elbows with your arms open to each side, as if forming a letter "W" with your upper body. Your shoulders will be externally rotated and your chest is open again. Rotate your forearms so your pinky fingers are facing behind your body and thumbs point toward the front of your body to feel the elongation through your entire arm again. Take a few breaths in this position. 

This sequence can be performed many times per day. Try it while seated, standing, lying on your back, or for a more challenging position, lie on your stomach over an exercise ball or at the edge of your bed. Be sure to stay within your pain-free ranges of motion. Enjoy!! 

Looking forward to helping you MOVE into Spring and beyond!

Keep Moving Well!

Top 3 Winter Wellness Tips

Top 3 Winter Wellness Tips

How lucky we are to be able to experience all 4 seasons here in Wisconsin! While living in California for a year and half doing a PT travel assignment, it didn't take long to discover that it is was ALWAYS nice outside. I actually missed experiencing the changes in seasons. After moving back to Wisconsin, I decided the only way I could make it through the winters again was to officially embrace them and make the best of what they offer, instead of shivering and complaining for 4+ months of the year! 

When there is snow outside, my family and I love to go snow-shoeing, skiing, and snowboarding. Our 11 year old LOVES to go sledding, but this winter has not provided us that opportunity...yet. We got a new concrete driveway poured this fall, so we were actually looking forward to shoveling and snow blowing now that it is all level, but we still wait patiently for that opportunity. Of course it has been cold here this winter, another seasonal attribute we have learned to embrace with our fuzzy socks and sweaters. We have committed to the flannel sheets and down comforters on our beds to help us stay warm and cozy while we rest and slumber. 

Having the chance to stay indoors this time of year, we can take the time to go "inward" to reflect on our past year, release that which no longer serves us, and refocus our priorities, while receiving fresh insights for growth opportunities. How are you spending your time enjoying this Winter? What are you doing to embrace this season? My hope for you is that you are feeling great and that your body serves you kindly all winter long. Here are the Top 3 Winter Wellness Tips to keep you moving your best through this beautiful time of year. 

1. Optimize Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D is known for its role in helping regulate Calcium absorption and bone health. According to an article from National Library of Medicine, "Vitamin D and its receptor are important for normal skeletal muscle development and in optimizing muscle strength and performance. Supplementation with various forms of vitamin D in older adults has mostly shown reduction in falls risk and improvements in tests of muscle performance." Who knew that boosting Vitamin D levels would be helpful for staying upright on the slippery, icy surfaces that often plague us this time of year!?! The sun is the best natural source of Vitamin D, but many winter days are grey and dreary with no sunlight, sometimes several days in a row! Using a light box can help to stimulate the production of Vitamin D, as well as getting outside on sunny days, with as much skin showing as you can tolerate out in the cold. Eating foods that are high in Vitamin D can also keep us healthy at this time of year. This article lists 15 foods that are High in Vitamin D--some of my favorites are fresh fish and mushrooms. 

2. Boost Body Temperature Naturally 

Keeping yourself warm during these cold winter months can be a challenge. According to this article from Pharmacy Solutions, "foods that take longer to digest can help raise your body temperature and make you feel warmer. The medical term for this process is thermogenesis, which is the process of your body producing heat caused by food metabolizing." These warming foods include bananas, oats, ginger tea, coffee, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. More great ways to increase your body temperature while using many of your muscles at one time are by doing jumping jacks, walking, or performing this 4 Minute Workout video from Zach Bush, MD. This free workout offers a great way to increase Nitric Oxide in the body, which is responsible for body temperature regulation as well as nervous system balance. Drinking hot beverages is another way to warm you up from the inside out. Wearing natural fabrics like wool can also be helpful to keep you warm, as wool traps air pockets and helps insulate you from the cold. So many clients and I wear Smart Wool socks, which really work well to keep those tootsies warm this time of year! Cuddling up with a fuzzy blanket and a loved one tops the list of many people's favorite ways to boost body temperature naturally. 

3. Keep Walking, No Matter What! 

Walking is one of the easiest, cheapest, most convenient ways, and natural ways to achieve whole body movement, release muscle tension, ground and connect with the earth, and promote vibrant health. No matter how cold it is, how slippery it might be, or how much snow there is on the ground, it is important to keep walking throughout the winter months!  We have so many lovely lakes, parks, and neighborhoods in this part of Wisconsin, so there are ample opportunities to explore different areas, terrains, witness natural landscapes, and breathe in the various microbiomes around us to enhance our body's natural health and balance. Bundling up in hats, scarves, mittens, and warm jackets is the best way to tolerate the outdoor elements. One of the best inventions to help stay upright on icy surfaces are traction cleats for your shoes, like these Yak-Trax. These are a God-send when it comes to walking your dog, or taking a nice, brisk exercise walk, while feeling confident that you will not slip and fall. If outdoor walking is just not right for you, there are also many opportunities to walk indoors at area malls and at the Pettit Ice Arena. Maybe your office building is large enough that you can walk the halls and or stairways as you take movement breaks throughout your workday. Why not schedule a walking meeting with a client or co-worker, or meet a friend for a walk instead of a drink? Walking is the ultimate way to boost body temperature naturally, and can be enjoyed outdoors as you soak up the Vitamin D provided by the winter sunshine. What if your body is not feeling its' best while walking? You may have a movement imbalance that can be identified and corrected to make walking more enjoyable for you. I'd be happy to help you do that! 

Gratitude is the Best Medicine

"BOOM!" The sound of the collision between my SUV and the Minivan that crossed over into my lane haunts me to this day. 12 years ago this month, a roll-over car accident changed my life. For the first time in my career, the Physical Therapist became the patient. The same muscle techniques we now use to help YOU move and feel better were successfully employed by MY Physical Therapist to help rehabilitate my neck and shoulder injuries. This experience validated that venturing outside of the traditional physical therapy box was the best decision for me as the patient, and for all of my future patients, and for that I am truly grateful! This experience also helped me appreciate the little things in life that I had once taken for granted. I was lucky and grateful to be alive!! 

My client just came in this morning and said "I'm not doing well today." I assumed she meant because our session last time was too much for her, but instead she said, "I just found out that my friend's husband died as a result of injuries from the Waukesha Christmas parade event yesterday." My heart broke for her and the many people and families affected both physically and emotionally by the horrific incident so close to home for many of us! Life is such a precious gift that can be taken from us at any time without warning. She expressed gratitude that her friend's injuries were less severe and that she has a strong support network to lean on during this difficult time. 

Last week, a client who has been severely sleep-deprived due to the pain of his dislocated shoulder, was grateful that he was starting to improve. Even though it was his non-dominant side, he realized just how much he really needed it to function better to get through life! And sleep deprivation is no joke!! Those of us affected by that because of pain or other issues in our life can surely relate.  His gratitude for even a little better sleep, and a little better function gave him a new perspective and he was starting to feel more hopeful. 

No matter what is going on in our lives, having gratitude always helps. This time of year always brings gratitude to mind, as we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving this week. We all have so much to be grateful for, but sometimes our gratitude can be lost amongst our pain and life's stressors.  

Even though it may feel like a nuisance to change your schedule to get to and from therapy appointments, at least there are answers to your pain problems to be found.  Even though doing your home exercise program takes time away from other daily activities, it may be helping to support those daily activities. It's annoying to have to make changes with how we do things when pain and other limitations don't allow us to do things the normal way, but at least our bodies were designed to compensate so we can still keep going.  Having gratitude that our bodies have a warning signal system in place when we feel pain or that something isn't "right" with our bodies is actually a huge blessing!! It allows us to take notice and find better ways to move, whether on our own or with the help of a professional. Being able to FEEL our body means that we are alive. Sometimes it is hard to find the blessings and have gratitude when we don't like what we feel, but the alternative (not being alive...) is worse! 

I am so grateful to have each of you in my life! It is such a HUGE blessing to enjoy coming to work each day. The opportunity to help each and every one of you move and feel better is so important to me, and I thank you for committing to this process, allowing us to work together to solve your unique issues, even if it takes some time to get to the root of them. I know what it is like to be limited by pain, problems moving how we want to be moving, sleep disturbances, and having to keep working at home exercises to feel better. I'm grateful for every session where we can help your body shine your light on the world a little brighter! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your healing journey! 

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and that you can focus on all that you are grateful for in your life, no matter what is going on around us. God Bless You!! 

Tootsie's "TWEET:" Don't Wait Until It's Too Late

It's me again, Emily's alter-ego, Tootsie, "Queen of the Posture Police."  I'm tired of Emily being so nice to you all!! I'm here to keep it real and offer some unfiltered advice so you feel better & STAY better!!  I'm here to blow my whistle and make another citation for crappy posture! 

TWEET! Don't Wait Until It's Too Late!!  

It's so annoying!  That lingering, dull ache when you bend or reach. It's been bothering you for some time now, but you just keep hoping it will go away...eventually. But it is still there. It's not convenient, but you move on. It doesn't seem to matter what you do, it is still there. You've tried stretches. It's still there. Your Chiropractor gets your alignment straight and you feel better for a little bit, but it's still there. Your Massage Therapist tries to untie the knot in that area, but it tightens back up. Then all of a sudden, you move the wrong way and your body locks up completely!! You have to cancel all of your plans and let your body calm down for who knows how long!! Again, not convenient, but this time you can't move at all!  Now, what are you supposed to do??

Good question. I know the answer. (Emily is too nice to share it, so here I go!) DON'T WAIT!! That little annoying ache, that all of a sudden turns into an emergency could have been dealt with much better in Emily's office when it was a molehill, rather than a mountain. You know how it goes on Emily's treatment table..."Move this way...Hold here...Ready, RESIST! Roll over, lift this leg, Hold, Ready RESIST! Now roll back over. Stand up. Sit down. Move this way, Ready RESIST!" Good luck trying to do any of THAT when your body is in crisis-mode, crying out in pain! 

Here's the deal. When your body has trouble MOVING or you can't MOVE a certain way, your muscles are involved. When you feel tight or have a "knot," your muscles are involved, but I'm here to tell you, those stretches won't help! When your posture and alignment are out of place, your muscles are involved; when your alignment is put back into the ideal position, if the muscles that hold it there aren't on board, your crappy alignment will shift right back to where it once was. It is as simple as that! Fortunately for you, YOU happen to have your own personal Muscle Specialist. You know who to call when your body is starting to send you the uncomfortable messages. You know NOT to wait until it is too late.  

A few weeks ago, Emily got a call from a client she hadn't seen for several months. All of a sudden, this client reached out in crisis mode. "I NEED to get in for a session! My body is ANGRY!!" Unfortunately for this client's sake, Emily's calendar was full of clients who had already been on her schedule for weeks, committed to working on the process of moving better after their body gave them subtle warning signs. This client waited until it was too late! She waited until her body was screaming at her!! Not only would she have been miserable on the treatment table, trying to move into the range-of motion positions needed for Emily to figure out the best way to help her, but the hands-on and exercise treatments themselves would have been more painful to endure as well in her inflamed state. 

Even though she is a PT (which some people think stands for "Pain & Torture"...), Emily truly does NOT like to hurt her clients!! Seriously, she doesn't!! She knows that it will be painful for her clients to be treated when they are in an active crisis mode. Of course, IF she is able to help, Emily will see her clients in whatever state they show up to the session, but it goes much more easily for everyone involved if the sessions are focused on promoting wellness rather than doing damage control. (But she's too nice to say anything, so that's why I'm bringing it up!) 

So, in summary, listen to those body signals, people!! Even if the message seem just like a little "whisper" right now, these quieter messages are important indicators that something may get MUCH louder if you wait too long to have your muscles checked! Maybe you've been told by a friend or family member that your posture needs help, or you've noticed uncomfortable sensations in your body with all the stress & changes you've been through since 2020, or you've been dealing with a chronic, nagging ache for years and you just keep on plugging away. Now, bring your mole-hills in to see Emily before they become mountains!! 

DON'T WAIT!!! Call, Text (414) 405-3956, or Email 1212bodyworks@gmail.com to set up your next session! 

Tootsie's "TWEET": Stand Up Already!

It's me again, Emily's alter-ego, Tootsie. I introduced myself last month as "Queen of the Posture Police." (If you didn't get to meet me yet, hop back to the last blog entry and find out more about me). Basically, I'm tired of Emily being so nice to you all. I'm here to keep it real and offer some unfiltered advice so you feel better and stay better!! I know you have better things to do than go in for treatments all the time! As Queen of the Posture Police, I'm here to blow my whistle and make another crappy posture citation. 

TWEET! Stand Up Already!! 

I'm all for standing up to crappy posture, but this time I'm serious! Sitting is the new smoking, or so it's been said. Sitting is one of the worst things that you can do for your body, especially when you remain sitting for long periods of time. Chronic sitting leads to many detrimental health effects including 

• Decreased Digestion
• Stifled Breathing
• Heart Disease
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Dementia
• Cancer 
• Muscle Fatigue
• Muscle Tightness
• Muscle Weakness
• Pain (Neck, Back, Shoulders, Hips, Pelvis, etc)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Sciatica
• LE Swelling/Edema
• Varicose Veins

Sounds awful, am I right? And this is only some of the bad effects of sitting. So what do you do about this problem? There are some easy solutions. Emily will go into more details about all of them next week in a Free Zoom Seminar, but for now, here are some ideas for you:

 

1. Set a timer to get up every 30-45 minutes

2. Get a Standing Desk

3. Choose to have a walking meeting instead of at a desk

4. If you have to sit, sit correctly

5. Avoid sitting as much as possible

6. MOVE!! 

See, it's really not that difficult to break the cycle of sitting. Wondering what correct posture is all about? Curious about which exercises or movements are best to negate the effects of sitting? Well, you're in luck! You can join Emily next week on Friday, September 24, 2021 at 9am for a Free Zoom Seminar called "Take a Stand Against Sitting." You'll learn more about why we should be getting up off of our keisters more often, what correct sitting posture looks and feels like, and what exercises you can incorporate to keep yourself from adding any of those bullet points above to your life!! 

Interested in joining in? Drop Emily an email at 1212bodyworks@gmail.com, or send her a text to 414-405-3956 letting her know you are interested, and she will send you all of the details for the seminar including the Zoom link. (I might just be making any appearance at the seminar...TWEET!!)

Now, don't just sit there!! Get up off of your keisters and contact Emily already! 

COVID Rates are so High and What to Do About It!

Here in the United States, especially the Midwest states, we are seeing sky-high numbers of COVID-19 cases. Most of us know of someone personally who has tested positive or even died because of the effects of this virus. This virus attacks people of all ages, races, and levels of health, and luckily, a great majority of the people who test positive will recover, although there may be some long lasting after-effects. 

 

One reason that the numbers are so high is because this is an airborne virus, which makes it difficult to see and know if and when exactly you've been exposed, whether or not you've been wearing a mask. Because many people are asymptomatic carriers and the virus has a few day incubation period, others may be exposed for several days before someone exhibits symptoms and goes for testing, then it may take a few days to find out results of the test, all the while, the virus is floating along in the air affecting more and more people. As time goes on, the virus keeps spreading despite our best efforts to practice social distancing, wash our hands, minimize contacts, and wear masks. 

Supplement for Better Health 

The best things we can do at this time are to try to boost our immunity in any way that we can! Certain Vitamins and Supplements have been recommended for their powerful immune boosting properties, such as Vitamin C, Zinc, and Vitamin D. Unfortunately, Midwesterners are known for having lower Vitamin D levels as the sun exposure is typically less in the colder months, although it has been very sunny this year so far, thankfully!! Foods containing these vitamins are helpful, but actually supplementing with these is important since we can't get enough of the daily recommendations from food alone. 

Conquer Inflammation

Minimizing Inflammation is imperative at this time. The COVID-19 Virus sets off a severe inflammatory response in the body. If your levels of inflammation are already high, from poor diet, high stress levels, inactivity, or unresolved injuries, this puts you at risk for even more severe symptoms if you do contact this or any other virus. Check out the previous blog "Best Baby Boomer Immune Boosters" for a list of anti-inflammatory foods, as well as other suggestions to minimize negative health risks. Taking deep nasal breaths and practicing stress-management techniques can also be helpful to minimize inflammation. Being sure to find resolution for long-lasting injuries will help your body work more efficiently and in a better balanced way to reduce joint specific inflammation, which ultimately affects your overall health and vitality. 

Focus On Gut Health

Many people don't recognize the connection between good gut health and digestion to our immune health. If your body and organs are busy trying to digest unhealthy or non-nutrient dense foods, this takes energy away from building your immunity. Also, more inflammation can be caused by not being able to break down certain foods in your gut. The "gut" starts in our mouth, by the way. Chewing each bite of food for at least 20 seconds will break down the food particles into smaller, more manageable size. In addition, the chewing process allows the good bacteria in our mouths to start to digest the food. I listened to a podcast episode where the Doctor being interviewed suggested this, and also suggested that we NOT use Antiseptic Mouthwashes, as these not only kill the bad bacteria in our mouths, but they also kill the GOOD bacteria needed for digestion. He also said that taking Anti-acids (Tums, Pepsid, etc) are doing further damage to our digestion as they further reduce the (often already reduced) levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which digests our food. Taking Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics will both help the body to break down and digest food, ultimately making our digestive and immune health improve.

Get Pumping!!

Our heart muscle pumps the blood the Circulatory System throughout our entire body. The Lymphatic System, part of our Immune system which pumps waste products OUT of our body, does not have it's own pump mechanism built in. Instead, the Lymphatic System relies on the contraction of our muscles to pump the waste materials throughout and OUT of our body. Regular exercise and daily movement are both imperative for a fully functioning immune system, which is not usually the first thing people think of when it comes to the benefits of exercise. There are many lymphatic ducts in the neck, shoulders, armpits, and hips. So many of my clients experience pain and dysfunction in these joints, but when we treat those areas, not only are the muscles able to move and support their joints better, but their immune health is also boosted! Staying active, mobile and flexible will give your body the best fighting chance to overcome any illness that comes your way! 

Let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to help support you during this Pandemic in any way that I possibly can! Stay healthy, keep moving, and take care of yourself and each other. 

5 Daily Habits of Healthy, Independent Seniors

 

Last week, a sweet 98 year old woman really impressed me!! I was called by her son, a long term client of mine, to do a home visit and assess her back pain due to a recent fall. Mary was amazing!! She still lives by herself and doesn't take ANY medication!! She's able to maintain some independence and has caregivers come into her home to help her with hygiene, dressing, and home care activities. I was impressed at how well she is still moving around with her walker, despite having some intermittent back pain. This experience got me thinking about what types of daily habits it takes to live a long, healthy and independent life. Keep reading if you are a senior, know one, or plan to be one someday!!  Movement is Medicine When I asked Mary if we could do some "exercises" to help alleviate her back pain she said "I don't like exercise." When I rephrased it and asked, "Can we try some "movements" together?" she smiled right away and said "YES!" Even I don't LOVE the idea of exercising, per say. But "Movement" seems like a less intense activity and less challenging than lifting weights, doing squats, and lunges. (Those are great movements, but not necessarily appropriate for a senior who doesn't love exercise.) We kept things basic and performed some gentle body movements while seated and standing. Her daughter-in-law and I moved her dining room table slightly so she can do laps around the table with her walker when her caregivers are present. She enjoyed moving and it actually made her back feel better.  Daily movement habits could include practicing yoga, walking, biking, swimming, weight lifting, taking exercise classes, gardening, or doing laps around your dining room table. Movement helps to get our blood pumping to bring oxygen to our tissues and organs, as well as pumping our lymphatic system to remove waste materials out of our body. Movement is some of the best natural medicine available to keep your body healthy for decades!! Be sure to get your daily dose.  Balance is Key Unfortunately, the reason for Mary's home visit is that she took a fall, which is a common occurrence among the elderly population. She took this fall like a champ, but that is not always the case with seniors. Sometimes a fall can be the "beginning of the end," especially if someone breaks a hip, as it is difficult to make a full recovery. Balance reactions decline as we age, so it is important to incorporate daily activities to maintain or improve our balance. Doing simple activities like calf raises (rising up onto your toes), standing on one leg, performing side steps, and marching in place can challenge your balance. These are all easy to do while standing behind a dining room chair or near a counter so you can use your hands for support. These can also be performed without holding on if your balance allows. Just be sure to keep yourself safe! By incorporating balance activities into your daily routine, you too can maintain your health and independence as long as possible.  Hydrate for Health Water is the elixir of life! All of our cells and organs require these essential molecules (hydrogen and oxygen) to perform their many functions to keep us alive and well throughout our lifetime. Water not only helps to keep skin soft and supple, but it also helps to digest our food and move our bowels, which is a function that can become sluggish as we age. Healthy water intake is recommended as "twice your body weight in ounces per day." A slice of cucumber, lemon, or orange in your glass or water bottle could be just the simple addition you need to make drinking water more palatable. It's like having a little party in your water, and the nutrients in fruit can help you absorb and assimilate the water molecules even better! When your cells and whole body function and move at their optimal levels, your health and independence will follow!  Don't Wait As much as our bodies are amazing and capable of healing themselves even in our senior years, some issues are better left up to the professionals! Mary's son contacted me soon after her fall because of her back pain complaints rather than waiting weeks and weeks to see if things got better on their own. By being proactive with your health maintenance and any concerns that arise, it is much easier to overcome injuries or imbalances than if you wait until you are miserable to seek professional help. My senior clients who are in the "Maintenance" Mode of their care plan with me are committed to their regular monthly "tune-up" sessions as they feel the benefit of each session and how they all contribute to keeping their mobility at its best. Sure, we can always schedule a session when pain issues are acute or flared up, but I'm not gonna lie...it is much easier to keep people functioning well than it is to do "damage control" therapy. By staying in-tune with your movement abilities and body sensations on a daily basis, you are sure to maintain your health and independence much more easily!    Laughter is the Best Medicine "One minute of anger can weaken the immune system for 4-5 hours. One minute of laughter can BOOST the immune system for 24 hours!" This quote recently came across my internet feed and although it shocked me initially, it actually makes sense. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Mary's home visit was the laughter we shared. She was pleasant the whole time, despite having some pain when she transferred from standing to sitting, but we shared some good laughs together. I'm confident that her positive attitude and sense of humor are 2 of the main reasons she has made it to 98 years old and is still going strong, despite all the ups and downs that each decade can bring. Smiling and laughing do so much good for our heart, soul, immune system and our mental health state. Be sure to prioritize reading, watching programs, and sharing time with the people in your life who fill your spirit, make you smile and laugh, and warm your heart! Keeping your sense of humor is sure to help you stay healthy and vibrant for years to come.  As always, I'm here to help keep your body functioning efficiently to stay healthy and independent for as long as I possibly can! (Written June 2020)

Head to Toe Healing in ONLY 20 Movements!

Back, neck, hip, knee and foot pain are the most common challenges faced among Physical Therapy clients of 1212 Bodyworks.  A smaller majority of clients experience issues in their shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Some clients also report feelings of tightness, limited mobility, impaired balance, and weakness. Over the past 2 decades of working with clients to resolve the muscle imbalances at the root of their frustrating symptoms, some common areas of muscle weaknesses have been discovered. As part of the celebration of my 20th Anniversary of being a Physical Therapist, I'm letting you in on my discovery! Below is a comprehensive list of 20 movements to perform for yourself to activate these key areas of weakness. Your whole body will receive a natural boost of energy as you move through these various positions. Remember to listen to your body's signals as you keep your movements within a comfortable range of motion. Tune into the sensations you feel from your right and left sides of the body and take note of the areas that feel different or have less movement available. Take healing into your own hands and KEEP your body moving well from head to toe! 

Begin by lying on your back. 

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Draw air into your belly, allowing your shoulders and chest to stay relaxed, as you inhale. Let your breath out slowly as you exhale and relax your body. Repeat as many times as needed to activate the diaphragm muscle below the lungs and allow it to do the work of inspiration that it was designed to do!

2. Ankle Dorsiflexion: Extend the top of your foot and toes toward your nose. Repeat 3 times. 

3. Toe Extension: Reach your toenails up to your shin as you spread the toes out wide, as if putting on a pair of toe "gloves." Repeat 3 times. 

4. Ankle Inversion: Rotate your ankle and foot inward so the bottom/sole of the foot faces the opposite foot. Repeat 3 times. 

5. Knee Flexion: Bend your knee as you slide your heel all the way back toward your hip/buttock. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

6. Hip Internal Rotation: With your knees straight, rotate your thigh bones inward so your knee caps face the midline of the body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

7. Hip External Rotation: With your knees straight, rotate your thigh bones outward so your knee caps face the outside of the body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

8. Hip Flexion: Keeping your knee straight, raise your leg up toward the ceiling. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

9. Hip Abduction: Keeping your knee straight, slide your leg out to one side, keeping the knee cap facing the ceiling. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

10. Pelvic Approximation: Bend one knee and place that foot on top of the opposite thigh. Use your lower abdominal muscles to lift the pelvis up and allow the bent knee to reach toward the place where the ceiling meets the wall. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

11. Trunk Sidebend: Bend sideways at your waist as you slide your upper body all the way to the side, as you slide your hand down the side of your thigh toward your knee. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

12. Shoulder Abduction: Keeping elbows straight, reach your arms out to the side and up toward your head as if trying to make a snow angel. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

Now roll over onto your stomach. Place a small rolled towel under your forehead so you can breathe or allow your head to come off the bed with your chin resting against the edge of the mattress. 

14. Shoulder/Scapular Retraction: Squeeze your shoulder blades together toward your spine. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

15. Spinal Extension: Lift your head and shoulders off the bed up toward the ceiling. Repeat 3 times.

Finally, come to a comfortable seated position. 

16. Shoulder/Scapular Depression: Sink your shoulders down away from your ears and feel the shoulder blades slide down the back of the ribcage toward your back pockets. Repeat 3 times on both sides. 

17. Shoulder Flexion: Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms up toward the ceiling bringing your arms as close to your ears as possible. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

18. Shoulder External Rotation: Bend elbows to at a 90 degree angle, keep elbows next to your side/ribcage and allow your shoulders to rotate outward. Your forearms and hands will reach out to the sides as if pulling an accordion apart. 

19. Cervical Side Bend: Sitting tall, bend your neck so your ear comes down toward your shoulder but keep your face forward without turning your head to look down. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

20. Cervical Rotation: Sitting tall, rotate your head to one side as if you are trying to look over your shoulder and behind your body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

How do you feel? How fluid or symmetrical are your movements? Is one side of your body more limited in several of the positions? Keep track of the sensations or how far you move so you can maintain your current level of mobility and function. If you begin to notice changes over time as you move into more comfortable range of motion, that is a sign of progress!! If you feel discomfort as you move into a position or throughout different points along the journey that doesn't resolve on its own, you could benefit from some assistance to get to the root of what is contributing to the imbalance or discomfort. Take advantage of 1212 Bodyworks' Complimentary Consultation if you are a new client to share your concerns and learn how I can help you resolve the issues you are experiencing. For current clients, you can take advantage of the 20th Anniversary Special throughout the month of May 2019 and get 20% off of your next treatment package! 

Here's to 20+ more years serving others to help them MOVE, FEEL and LIVE better!!

Something Lost...And Something Gained...

Do you take the time at the end of each year to look back and reflect on your highlights, accomplishments and successes? Or do you focus on what goals you have yet to achieve, what you could have done differently, or wish you would have focused on instead? Personally, I used to focus on the latter. However, this year as I look back through the 12 months of 2017, I have decided to take a positive approach and celebrate the successes and achievements that have taken place, and finish off this last month on a good note. This year a common theme that resounded in my personal and professional life was "Something Lost and Something Gained." Of course, loss and gain can offer either good or bad experiences, but the following losses and gains of 2017 were all "good", and have provided profound growth opportunities.  

Something Lost: Judgement

In 2016, the "Well-BALANCED Life" blog post theme was really fun, as a different topic was presented each month that all added up to empowering you to move and live better.  The intention for 2017 was to try something different, with a "SIMPLIFY" theme, and do video blogs. It seemed like a great idea to spend less time sitting and typing, and more time moving and teaching you how to move better with simple, educational movements through exercise videos. You might be thinking, "Where were these video blogs?? Did I miss something?" No, you didn't miss them. I didn't do them. Instead of judging myself for not embracing and overcoming my fear of the camera, letting anyone down, or achieving this goal, I chose to let these judgements go. Instead of jumping to conclusions and judging situations or others' actions, I have also chosen to let those go too, as that feels so much better. 

Something Gained: Freedom 

By shifting the energy and focus to let go of judgement, the emotional and energetic burden caused by judging myself and others was lifted, which allowed a HUGE sense of freedom.  What a much-needed gift this was this year! :)

Something Lost: Hiding place

Throughout the 5 years of renting a small room inside two different Chiropractor's offices, I admired how confident they were with their practice techniques, business directions, and how they both took the initiative to rent their own space and move their missions forward. I've always struggled with confidence so I was content to just "hide out" inside of their space and stay "small" with my business...for a while. I finally reached a point where the time was right to step out of my safe place and move forward with a mission of my own this year!! 

Something Gained: Space to Grow

Moving into a new space has been one of the main professional highlights of this year. The feeling of gratitude I have for all of my clients, family, and friends who have helped 1212 Bodyworks grow into the business it is today is truly overwhelming! :) Having the physical space that now suits the flow of my business will provide wonderful future growth opportunities.  

Something Lost: Weight (15#)

With the help of my personal trainer, Ryan Bloor, and many dietary changes later, I have lost about 15 pounds this year!! Whew!! After recognizing in August of 2016 that I was not only hiding inside of the Chiropractor's office, but also hiding inside baggy or layered clothing because of my gradual weight gain, I knew I needed to make some major changes. I have officially embraced the fact that I need an accountability partner, and those weekly scheduled workouts really helped me honor my priorities. By building muscle, I was able to burn more fat and detoxify my body. In May of 2017, I received the "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis" diagnosis, and thus began the journey of a strict diet known as the "Autoimmune Protocol."  Meat, veggies, and fruit were the only allowed foods, so for 3 months, that is what I stuck to. I slowly, strategically reintroduced foods to find out which ones were triggers for my symptoms and have adjusted my diet accordingly. I am feeling better overall, but am doing what I can to continue to uncover the root of these Autoimmune issues to fully heal from them. 

Something Gained: Height (1/2 inch!!)

At my annual physical this year, I was SHOCKED when the nurse told me that I was 5 ft, 7 inches!!! I have been 5 ft, 6 1/2 inches for the past 15 years at least. I do remember once being 5' 7" back in college, but somehow lost a 1/2 inch over time. I truly believe that the strength training I have done has helped my posture and spinal stability so much, I actually am standing taller!! The physical and emotional weight that I have lost over this past year have also helped me to stand taller with more confidence.

What were some of your biggest losses and gains, and how did these experiences help you grow? I'd love to hear about the highlights of your year and what you are celebrating as you reflect on the past 12 months! Looking forward to sharing our health journeys in 2018. 

8 Key Elements to a Well-Balanced Life: "E" is for

We have learned the importance of optimizing how our body works through breathing, being aware of our body's alignment, movement abilities and limits, and fueling our body with nutrient dense foods.  What we put inside our bodies determines how we feel and move throughout our lives. The communication between our nervous and digestive systems greatly impacts our musculo-skeletal health. To boost how our body works to keep us healthy, it is equally important to consider our environment, to maximize the benefits of our surroundings and minimize the stressors that may be impacting our health.

Our natural environment provides us with some of life's greatest necessities including the air we breathe, the food we eat, resources to create energy, and lumber to construct homes and buildings.  We can also turn to our environment for recreation, enjoyment, health and exercise. Our environment provides homes for wildlife, "is responsible for pollution dilution and detoxification, pollination, flood and climate regulation." 

(http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get-informed/people-and-the-environment/benefits-from-the-environment/ )

The sun provides Vitamin D to help us absorb calcium and phosphorus, improve our bone and tooth health, boost our immune system, and prevent many diseases. It is important to find a nice balance with getting enough sunshine to meet your daily requirement of Vitamin D which involves getting outside. As the winter months are fast approaching, it gets more challenging to get outside (especially here in Wisconsin) to get adequate amounts of this important vitamin, so supplementation is necessary. I've been loving an Isotonic Vitamin D supplement that I have been taking lately. I'd be happy to share more details about this product with you if you are interested. 

Our environment also includes with whom we live and with whom we spend the most time. Family, friends and colleagues can fill us with joy but can also create stress in our lives. Maximizing the energy spent on relationships that bring happiness and joy and letting go of those no longer serving us can have a big impact on living a well-balanced life. 

Our environment includes the substances and products we use to keep our homes, belongings, and body clean. My friends use to tease me and call me a hippy for using natural products and not wanting to use chemicals on or around my body.  Luckily, there are more and more people who have also become aware of the dangers and have moved away from using synthetic chemicals and toxic ingredients in commercially available cleaning agents, and personal care products.  The chemicals we use to clean our homes should be made with natural ingredients especially if we have children or pet in our homes. Our skin is our largest organ, and it will absorb chemicals from personal care products that can be harmful to our body. If you haven't already, be sure to check the labels and avoid petroleum based ingredients and other harmful chemicals in your home cleaning and body care products. Click on the following link to find a list of which chemicals to avoid: 

http://www.womensvoices.org/avoid-toxic-chemicals/15-toxic-trespassers/ 

I have been using natural cleaning agents, essential oils, and personal care products for the last 15 years. Let me know if you want more information on which ones are my favorites.  

Our body works best when our environment is full of sunshine, fresh air, natural, healthy food and clean water, and people who fill our hearts with good feelings. Let go of those relationships with people and products who are not benefitting your health and you will feel so much better on many levels. 

Keep Moving Well! 

8 Key Elements to a Well Balanced Life: "C" is for...

To live a well-balanced life, it is important for all of the cells throughout our body receive efficient oxygen, hormones and nutrients to successfully carry out our daily activities, properly digest food, eliminate toxins, and maintain homeostasis. Since October is Breast Health Awareness Month, it is fitting to highlight the importance of circulation throughout our breast tissue and also throughout our body. Breast Cancer CAN affect both males and females, so it is equally important for both sexes to stay proactive, maximize your circulatory health, and reduce your risk of disease. 

The Circulatory System is divided into 2 separate systems, the Cardiovascular System which distributes blood, and the Lymphatic System which distributes lymph. According to Wikipedia, "Blood is a fluid consisting of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets that is circulated by the heart through the vertebrate vascular system, carrying oxygen and nutrients to and waste materials away from all body tissues. Lymph is essentially recycled excess blood plasma after it has been filtered from the interstitial fluid (between cells) and returned to the lymphatic system. The cardiovascular (from Latin words meaning "heart" and "vessel") system comprises the blood, heart, and blood vessels.^[3] The lymph, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels form the lymphatic system, which returns filtered blood plasma from the interstitial fluid (between cells) as lymph."

As our culture has gotten more sedentary, the incidence of many diseases has increased. Our homes and workplaces have become very convenient in terms of how we have things placed around us for easy access and long durations of reduced mobility. Our upper body, including our head, neck, shoulders, elbows, hands and ribcage can function within a limited range of motion directly in front of our body throughout an entire day unless we make an effort to extend these limits with intentional mobility activities. Our body has a "use it or lose it" mentality, and when our end ranges of motion are not frequently challenged and practiced each day, we get tight, stiff, and sore, and our fluid systems of the body become stagnant. I've quoted it before and I'll quote it again: "Sitting is the new smoking." This position can wreak havoc on the circulatory system especially throughout the legs and lower body. The hips are compressed as they support the weight of the trunk and upper body, which challenges the ability of the circulatory system to flow efficiently. When the legs hang down, the blood vessels have to work against gravity to return the flow of blood and lymph back up to the center of our body which can lead to swelling, numbness and tingling, and leg muscle weakness. 

Luckily, there is a solution to maximizing your circulation every day. MOVEMENT!! Movement of the body is the most efficient way for our Cardiovascular and Lymph systems to circulate blood and lymph. Our muscle contractions serve as a pump around our blood and lymph vessels to help keep the fluids traveling where they need to go for proper function of the organs and cells. Daily movement practices such as walking and exercise can improve and maintain your circulatory health. Be sure to move your body through as much of your maximal range of motion throughout your head, neck, arms, torso, spine, pelvis, hips and legs to maximize your circulation. 

It doesn't have to take long to move as many different ways as you can to mobilize your blood and lymph fluids. Here are my favorite 12 whole body movement activities for you to try. (# 1-6 are especially helpful for healthy breast and chest tissue)  I recommend 5-10 repetitions of the following movements: 

1. Look up, down, side to side, and turn your head and neck each way. 

2. Reach your arms all the way up, reach out to the sides, and behind your back. 

3. Spread your hands and fingers then squeeze them into fists. 

4. Draw circles with your arms at your shoulder joints, forward, backward, make figure 8's across your chest. 

5. Turn your torso each way and bend it sideways. 

6. Flex your spine all the way forward then extend all the way back. 

7. Move your hips in circles, forward, back and sideways. 

8. Rotate your hips in and out. 

9. Bend and extend your knees. 

10. Point and flex your feet and ankles.

11. Draw circles with your ankle, foot and toes.  

12. Spread and squeeze your toes. 

See, that didn't take so long. Imagine if you committed to doing this at least once per day. How do you think it would make you feel? 

The Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) system utilizes whole body movement activities to determine the location of potential muscular weakness. Each time you receive an MAT treatment, you maximize the circulation throughout all of your muscles as you move through full range of motion of all of your joints. One of my clients recently commented that she loves coming for treatments because she feels warm and tingly all over as circulation flows to more areas of her body than she notices during her daily activities and exercises. I told her that MAT is like a "Fluid Flush" as well as a "Re-Boot" for the whole body. By maximizing neurological communication signals throughout the muscular system, we improve muscle contractile efficiency and the ability to pump fluids to optimize circulation. Muscle Activation Techniques is an important part of a pro-active health plan to keep us moving and grooving from head to toe. 

Looking forward to seeing you for your next "Fluid Flush and Re-Boot!" 

Keep Moving Well! 

8 Key Elements to a Well-Balanced Life: "A" is for...

"What you don't know can't hurt you"

Have you ever heard this phrase before? Well, when it comes to the human body, I beg to differ. 

The human body is equipped with a multitude of sensory signals that can help us understand where we are in space (called "proprioception"), whether something we touch is hot or cold, sharp or smooth, whether a muscle feels tight or loose, or a movement or position feels comfortable or uncomfortable, and the list goes on. These signals all boil down to the same basic message to our body, which is whether something is safe or unsafe. It is important to "listen" to the signals that our body gives us on a daily basis and adjust our activities to accommodate the messages we are receiving so we can keep moving well and prevent injury. 

It blows me away the number of times over the past 2 decades I have met clients who have not listened, or "heard" but completely ignored the signals their body was trying to tell them for a long period of time. However, it struck me that some people are just not aware that their body is trying to communicate with them. They may not know that something they feel may be abnormal and injury may result, and that someone like me is specifically trained to help them move and feel better to prevent or overcome injury.  It turns out, what they don't know CAN hurt them! Awareness is the 4th key for a well-balanced life. 

Luckily, some people are aware of their body and notice differences between how things look or feel on one side or the other.  Recently, I have worked with some clients who are feeling pretty good overall, however, they are aware of muscles firing on one side of their body, but not as well on the other side. They sought out my help to bring their body back into a balanced state and prevent injuries from occurring. Keeping tabs on how your body is functioning is important so that you have a baseline established and can gauge whether one of your body parts may be in need of some assistance to feel better. 

There are several important points to consider when becoming aware of your body's baseline. Bring your awareness to your posture and alignment (the blog post from June highlights all the key alignment points to consider). How are you lining up from head to toe when you are sitting or standing? Does one shoulder feel higher or lower? Do you feel any areas of muscle tension or tightness from right to left? Do you feel that you are bearing more weight on one side of the body than the other? Is it difficult to breathe and relax into these positions or do you have to exert effort to breathe, keep yourself upright or relaxed?  Now consider your body's baseline while you are lying down on your back. Do you need a pillow under your head for extra support? Does one leg rotate out more than the other? Does one shoulder feel higher or lower now? Are you aware of any tension or tightness in your body in this position? Is it challenging for you to breathe into all parts of your lungs in this position? Bring your awareness to how you feel when you are walking. Does one arm swing across your body more than the other? Are your thumbs pointed toward your body? Is it easier to push off from one foot than the other? Do you have pain in any of your joints as you take your steps?  

If you answered yes to these questions, you would likely benefit from a Muscle Activation Techniques assessment and treatment to identify and correct your unique muscle imbalances contributing to these sensations. If you are feeling good and not having any of these issues, you must be well aware of your body. Keep up your good work!

Awareness is a crucial element to know your body's baseline and manage it so you can move and feel your best for years to come.  Move well, my friends! 

8 Key Elements to a Well-BALANCED Life: "L" is for....

When I first hear the word Locomotion, I think of a train, or the hit song by Grand Funk Railroad, with the ultra-cheesy 1987 version by Kylie Minogue. When I asked my husband Bryan the first word that came to his mind he said, "engine". According to dictionary.com, locomotion means "movement, or the ability to move from one place to another."  It is interesting to think about how far locomotion has come, especially since before we invented all sorts of means for locomotion (boats, horse and buggy, hot air balloons, trains, bikes, automobiles, planes, etc) all we had were our bodies to get us around from place to place. As technology continues to advance exponentially over the years, our body's biomechanics have pretty much stayed the same. Unfortunately, along with the reliance on these efficient machines for locomotion, we are relying less on our own body's ability to get us around. We don't think twice about staying up to date with our car's regular oil changes, tire rotations, transmission or radiator flushes, and air filter replacements so we can prevent inconvenient break-downs and extend the life of our vehicle (which is usually only about 10-12 years). Why is it then, that we as humans usually wait until we have a "breakdown" to do something about our human "vehicle?" Our body is our ONLY vehicle for locomotion for our lifetime (which is usually about 80-90 years, if we are lucky these days). We may have the medical advancements to receive new body parts, such as new joints and new valves for instance, but our body is so much happier to simply maintain the body we were given at birth.  

The very first way we as humans learn to move around from place to place is through rolling. This very important developmental milestone prepares our core muscles for other more advanced locomotion activities. We roll from our back to our stomach, and from our stomach to our back. Remember putting your baby on their stomach for "Tummy Time?" How much did your baby like that? Mine did not! As a new mom, it broke my heart to hear Liam fuss and cry when he was on his belly, so I didn't usually keep him there too long initially (even though I'm a PT and know better...). That is hard work for a baby to maintain that position and hold up their huge head. But with practice and repetition, they get it, and then they roll over. The spinal extensor muscles, that run along both sides of the back of the spine, are so important for ultimately keeping us upright against gravity. Our abdominal and core muscles get a great workout rolling us over from our back onto our tummy. Rolling is a great way for babies and adults to train all the muscles in the spine, trunk and limbs. 

Try it now for yourself. See how it feels to roll from your back to your stomach, then from your stomach to your back. Roll to your right, then roll to your left. How different, easy, or difficult do each of these feel?  Tummy time and rolling are activities that I recommend for grown adults, as the spinal extensor and core muscles are some of the weakest muscles I find with many of my clients. 

Crawling integrates even more of our body's core muscles with the reciprocal movement of our arms and legs to get us around from place to place. This is a much more complicated activity for our brain to orchestrate.  Our hands, wrists, feet and ankles move into new ranges of motion and provide information about the surfaces underneath us as we move about. The muscles and joints throughout our core, hip, and shoulder get stronger as we carry more of our body's weight around from place to place. Our neck gets stronger as we hold our head up to look where we are going. 

Ready to give it a try? Crawl forward, backward, and side to side. How far and fast can you go? Can you feel your shoulder blade muscles and core engage? How do your wrists and knees feel? Thank goodness we learned to walk! 

Walking is the most complicated activity that our brains have to manage. This is why humans are the only species who can walk around upright on 2 feet for as long as we can. We need strength, control, balance, proprioception (sensing where you are in space) and endurance to walk from place to place. The arches in our feet are meant to be able to absorb shock as well as push off the ground to move us forward. Our arm swings back as the opposite leg is behind the body to maintain our balance and keep our head neutral, so our eyes remain level with the horizon as we move about. Our spine stacks on top of itself and supports the trunk rotation from right to left. Walking allows us to move efficiently from place to place. 

As a Physical Therapist, Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) Specialist, and Healthy Foot Practitioner, I often work with clients who have pain while walking. Whether the pain is in their foot, knee, hip, shoulder, back or neck, they are amazed that when they have their unique muscle imbalances identified and corrected, then practice rolling and crawling, the pain is reduced when they walk. 

How are you feeling about your body's locomotion?  Being able to move around comfortably and efficiently while rolling, crawling and walking will help you extend the life of your vehicle. It may be time to take your vehicle in for a tune-up.  

Move Well!