Is Your Head On Straight?   How many of you have heard me say "We need to get your head back on straight?" Sure, it sounds kind of silly, but SOOO many of my Physical Therapy clients benefit from this simple reset. My client Stacy came for help to resolve chronic shoulder and elbow pain, which was making it difficult to perform her work as a Professional Photographer. Her camera was heavy with all of its attachments, and she was having trouble making it through an entire shoot without needing many breaks. Then, while sitting at her computer to edit the photos, a feeling of tightness settled into her upper back. She was seeing a Massage Therapist to try to "untie the knots" in her neck and shoulders but wasn't having lasting results. She was frustrated that despite going to the gym regularly, doing all sorts of stretches, and using pain-relieving essential oils, she couldn't find relief.  When we first met for her Full Body Assessment, her posture caught my attention. Stacy's head position was slightly tilted and rotated to the right. Her left shoulder was higher than her right, her pelvis was also rotated, and one of her foot arches was much flatter than the other side. This alignment is very common, especially with clients who are Right hand dominant. As we worked together, Stacy performed corrective exercises at home for her shoulder and arm. She noticed very little pain while doing her exercises but then felt some discomfort later in the day. She adjusted her computer workstation to take pressure off of her arms, but that only helped a little bit too. When we treated Stacy's neck, she could immediately feel an improvement in her shoulder mobility, tightness and pain!  Stacy was surprised to learn that so many of her neck muscles were "asleep!" She asked, "How have I even been holding my head upright with all of this weakness?"  We laughed, and I told her she was compensating for the weakness by holding tension in surrounding areas. It is not an efficient long-term solution to weakness, but that is what our body does! Since the head houses the brain, which is responsible for ALL of the nerve signals traveling throughout the entire body, it is important to "get it on straight!" Just this week, Stacy told me that her Massage Therapist even noticed how much better things are for her now! She's happy she is finally finding relief!  Stacy's pain and tightness was located relatively close to her neck, but getting your head back on straight can even help client's who are suffering from Lower Back Pain, Sciatica, Knee pain and even Foot pain! It's amazing how everything is connected.  If you or someone you love have been dealing with chronic pain or tightness that doesn't seem to lessen with exercise or other therapies, there is hope!! You too can find freedom from the pain once and for all!

Jane's Freedom after Decades of Pain

 

My client Jane, an active 69 year old, loves taking care of her grandkids, along with her husband of almost 50 years, Bob. Recently, keeping up with the kiddos has been more and more challenging as Jane's hip was giving her constant grief. Jane was in a car accident 40 years ago and needed surgery on her knee. She said she has "never been the same since." Recovery was slow because her kids were young at the time and her rehab was put on the back burner. She worked as a Surgical Tech and was on her feet for long hours. Even though she was able to push through it, she experienced pain daily. First it started in her knee, then she got Plantar Fasciitis in her foot. A few years later, the symptoms crept up into her hip where the pain has stayed for the past 30 years.  Now, Jane's hip pain wakes her up at night and she feels it with every step she takes. Jane has to ride in the cart along with Bob instead of golfing with him. She is only able to stand long enough to make meals but not to clean up afterward, as she had been able to do for years (Bob does not like dish duty!). Jane even loses sleep over the thought of not being able to dance with Bob at their 50th Anniversary celebration coming up at the end of October.  Over the years, Jane tried traditional PT, Chiropractic, and Water Exercise classes with only a bit of relief. She was tired from not sleeping well, frustrated, and sad that she was starting to miss out on activities she loves best with her husband and grandkids.  Jane came to see me in May after her neighbor referred her.  She told Jane, "Emily does things differently. I don't know how she does it, but it works!!" Jane and Bob came in for the Complimentary Consultation together. I was confident that I could help her feel like herself again.  Within 2 months, she had relief! Jane was able to get down and up from the floor again with her grandkids, and she and Bob had even played a few rounds of 9 holes with little pain. Jane admitted she was most surprised by something she thought would never change. She was shocked that her knee could straighten all the way in such a short period of time. Jane and Bob invited me to their Anniversary celebration at the end of October and I am looking forward to watching them dance together.  Jane's story is typical for people who are committed to their appointments and home exercises.  If you or someone you love have been dealing with chronic pain or tightness that doesn't seem to lessen with exercise or other therapies, there is hope for you. You can find freedom from the pain once and for all!  (Written September 2020)

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)

From Active Seniors to Weekend Warriors AND Professional Athletes, Word is Getting Out about how MAT can help you Move & Feel your best!!

 

Radio Interview on WUWM  More and more people are learning to take their health in their own hands, be proactive, and hire their own personal Muscle Specialist to keep them moving and feeling their best!! Thank you to all of you who tuned in to listen to the radio interview I was invited to do back in November. If you missed it, you can listen to it   (Link provided below) or read the great article written to accompany the interview. It was a really fun experience to have the producer of WUWM's "Fit For You" segment on Lake Effect, Audrey Nowakowski, and her professional photographer, Lauren Sigfusson, come to my office to experience MAT, take photos and record the interview. The Interview was received really well and I was delighted to have 2 people call me even before it was finished airing for the first time!      Checking Audrey's Hip Range of Motion   Late last month, MAT was featured again on The Golf Channel's "Golf Pass" with Chris Como. Here he interviewed Greg Roskopf, the founder of MAT, at the MAT Headquarters in Denver, CO. He's been working with professional Golfer Bryson DeChambeau who has seen excellent results in muscle building and golf swing efficiency. It's another great interview and it's filmed right in the room where I go each year to do my training courses. So happy that more and more people are learning about how this amazing modality can help pick up the pieces where other traditional approaches have fallen short.    MAT Founder Greg Roskopf & Bryson DeChambeau Click Here for the WUWM Radio Interview and Article Click Here for the Golf Channel's "Golf Pass" with Chris Como & Bryson DeChambeau Segment Let me know what you think! Feel free to pass this along to someone you believe would benefit from this information and would like to move and feel better themselves. (Written February 2020)

Best Baby Boomer Immune Boosters

 "Wash your hands. Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Don't touch your face. Use Hand Sanitizer with 60% alcohol. Sanitize and disinfect frequently touched places. Wear gloves. Wear a mask. Avoid handshakes. Maintain a 6 foot distance between others. Avoid crowds. Stay home."

So many recommendations are being offered about how to avoid exposure to this new virus, however, not much has been shared about how to boost your immune system to protect yourself if your body does come into contact with unwanted pathogens. According to the CDC website, "8 out of 10 deaths (related to COVID19) reported in the U.S. have been in adults 65 years old and older." Those statistics are downright scary!! As Baby Boomers, it is especially important to not only do what you can do to limit your risk of exposure, but also boost the resiliency of your immune system to overcome this or any other health threat that may come your way. Here are some key tips for seniors to consider to keep your body working as efficiently as it can.

Stay Hydrated
Water is essential for many body functions, including immune responses.  Drinking 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water per day is a common recommendation for adults. If your urine is clear, you're doing well. If it's gold or yellow, keep drinking. Remember to get those ounces in before 6pm otherwise it may interfere with your ability to sleep through the night without awakening for a trip to the bathroom. 

Choose Anti-Inflammatory Foods
According to this "Very Well Health" article (Click Here), we should choose from these foods high in anti-oxidants:

• Berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
• Cherries
• Apples
• Artichokes
• Avocados
• Dark green leafy vegetables (such as kale, spinach, and collard greens)
• Sweet potatoes
• Broccoli
• Nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts)
• Beans (such as red beans, pinto beans, and black beans)
• Whole grains (such as oats and brown rice)
• Dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
• Oily fish (such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies)
• Flaxseed

There's also some evidence that certain culinary herbs and spices, such as ginger, turmeric, and garlic, can help alleviate inflammation."

Avoid Virus-loving Foods
Viruses feed off of eggs, gluten, dairy, corn, soy, pork and Canola oil, according to Anthony William, author of the "Medical Medium" book series. By limiting or avoiding intake of these foods, there will be less fuel to feed the viral cells and therefore less inflammatory response. 

Supplement Wisely

Vitamin C, Zinc and Glutathione are some of the most commonly discussed supplements to keep our immune system functioning well, especially for Baby Boomers and seniors, as their levels of Glutathione, a vital antioxidant, are typically lower. Vitamins D and B are also helpful to combat the effects fo the increased stress level this time in history has created for many of us. To find the correct dosage of supplementation for you, contact your primary care, functional medicine, or alternative health care practitioner. You can also find helpful information on Dr. Mercola's website (Click here). You can choose to sign up to receive his natural newsletter focused on holistic nutrition and fitness strategies to stay up to date with current recommendations for seniors.  

Keep Moving

Movement and regular exercise are especially important for Baby Boomers to boost immune health. The muscular system serves as a pump for lymphatic fluid, which carries out the body's waste products, so the vitality of the immune system is dependent upon moving on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many older individuals are not as active as they were in younger years due to reduced energy levels, limited mobility, chronic pain from stress or previous injuries, or fear of hurting themselves. Now that most gyms and health clubs are closed, it is important to maintain a daily movement or exercise program at home and outdoors if possible. Walking, gentle, progressive body weight resistance exercises or band exercises can be helpful for getting your muscles pumping to help your lymphatic fluid and waste products to move OUT of your system. Being sure that your body is working as efficiently as possible from head to toe is crucial to your immune system's vitality.

By following the recommendations above, Baby Boomers will be in the best shape possible to ward off whatever pathogens may come your way. Attending your regularly scheduled appointments at 1212 Bodyworks will ensure that you keep all your muscles firing and your immune system vibrant, and that you have the tools and techniques to use at home to keep you moving well! 

Looking forward to helping you keep your whole body and immune system in optimal condition. Be safe, stay healthy, and take good care of yourselves!

(Written June 2020)

How a 72 Year Old Ditched Her Cane, and Her Pain

 How A 72-Year-Old Ditched Her Cane—And Her Pain 

Mary felt like an “old lady." An active retiree, she found she was no longer able to participate in her chosen daily activities. Embarrassed that she walked with a limp and needed a cane to get around, she began turning down social invitations. She was frustrated with how stiff and tight her body was during any movement.

Most aging adults would gladly take a drink from the fountain of youth if it were ever offered to them. They would give anything to be able to get out of bed easily each morning and move freely throughout the day; to do all of the things they could do in their youth without pain, such as play with their grandchildren, go on vacations, exercise, participate in recreational activities and enjoy sex with their partners—and to look and feel fit, toned and attractive. Unfortunately, being able to move freely to enjoy life’s pleasures can become more difficult as time goes by. Arthritis, scar tissue from previous injuries or surgeries, old traumas and cumulative stress all wreak havoc on the human body. Although pain, tightness, and progressive difficulty performing everyday activities are often considered a “normal” part of the aging process, it’s not normal at all.

For the past 20 years, people suffering with pain, tightness and limited movements have been able to find relief and resolution of acute and chronic issues through a unique assessment and treatment approach called Muscle Activation Techniques, also known as MAT. The sports world is more familiar with MAT due to its successes in aiding athletes. In a 2016 Sports Illustrated article, U.S. Women’s National Team and Seattle Reign goalkeeper Hope Solo and her strength-and-conditioning coach discussed how they’re using MAT to improve Solo’s balance in order to fine-tune her athletic performance. In 2015, numerous professional athletes were interviewed by The Washington Times about how effective this treatment approach has been in helping them recover faster and “resolve injuries that cannot be healed through conventional rehabilitation.” As with athletes, MAT provides hope and healing to aging adults who have been told that surgery wasn’t an option, that nothing could be done to help them, and that they have to learn to live with the pain. 

Mary’s sister referred her to a local MAT specialist to help resolve her chronic lower back and foot pain. Over the years, Mary had already been through a few rounds of traditional physical therapy, and had also tried chiropractic, acupuncture and other alternative treatments, but she was still left wanting more relief. 

Through the holistic Muscle Activation Techniques approach, a key missing piece of the healing puzzle is discovered and resolved. Instead of releasing tightness, or “knots”, in muscles to alleviate uncomfortable sensations, MAT specifically targets the root of the problem: muscle weakness. Muscle weakness, which is caused by stress, trauma, or overuse, is the inability of a muscle to contract efficiently to support the body. Instead, the body uses “compensations” to keep moving forward despite weakness, but these movement compensations are not as efficient, and eventually lead to unstable posture and alignment, bone degeneration, dysfunctional movement patterns and energy drains on the body—all symptoms that most people equate with the normal aging process. By activating weak muscles, MAT resolves the need for movement compensations and restores muscle activity required for healthy movement, allowing full healing to occur. 

Mary’s MAT specialist discovered that Mary’s hip mobility was locked up. By using hands-on techniques and gentle exercises to activate a few muscles associated with the limited movement, Mary’s hip range-of-motion improved significantly. After her treatment, she stood up and noticed a huge reduction in both her back and foot pain. By activating her hip muscles, Mary’s pelvis was in a more balanced alignment, which took pressure off her lower back. By being able to use her hip muscles more efficiently, the weight-bearing forces were distributed evenly throughout her legs, taking pressure off of her sore foot. Within a few weeks, Mary no longer walked with a cane and she had resumed her favorite activities again. 

MAT may not be able to “turn back the clock”, but by simply improving the way the muscles work to support the body, aging adults can become stronger, feel more flexible and fluid with their everyday movements, and return to the activities they enjoy. Life should be lived to the fullest, and MAT can help this happen naturally. 

Physical Therapist Emily Yenor is Mary’s MAT specialist, and the owner of 1212 Bodyworks in Brookfield, WI. She offers a complimentary consultation to those interested in discovering how to help their body move and feel its best. To learn more, call 414-405-3956, email 1212BodyWorks@gmail.com, or visit 1212BodyWorks.com. To read referenced articles, visit Tinyurl.com/y4jt9qjf and Tinyurl.com/y2xxy5mr.

(Article published in Natural Awakenings magazine September 2019. Click here for full article and magazine edition)

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!!

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

I've been naughty this year. I've been teaching my clients to perform exercises specifically for their unique muscle imbalances, but I haven't done my exercises faithfully. I have all sorts of exercise equipment at home and at my office, but do you think I use them often? No. I haven't been practicing what I preach as much as I should have been this year. However, a good friend of mine once said, "Don't ever "should" on yourself" and I have always appreciated that comment. I have realized that it is important to focus on all of the good things I have done this year instead focusing on what I "should" have done.  

In August, I finally broke down and hired a personal trainer to help keep me accountable for taking care of myself, as I had been focusing on taking care of others and let myself go. I am also making great strides in overcoming leaky gut syndrome and the resultant autoimmune conditions that have created challenges with my health and energy levels by educating myself on  how to use food as medicine. I am helping my family to also improve their health and energy levels so we can keep up with our 5 year old! Prioritizing time with my family and friends has also brought a lot of joy into my life in 2016. I also just formed a "Meet Up" group called "Get Moving Mil-WALK-esha" to get people together for walks around Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. These good things in 2016 have helped to move me closer to living a well balanced life. 

Over the past 8 months, you have discovered how to live a well-balanced life also through Breathing, being mindful of your body's Alignment, moving around or being "Locomotive", bringing Awareness to your body's sensations and movement limits, eating a Nutritious diet, Circulating your body's important life giving and cleansing fluids, and enhancing your Environment to maximize health and minimize toxins. Finally, as the year draws to a close, you will discover the final key element to a well balanced life. 

The journey toward health and wellness is not an easy one. Pain, tightness, limited movements and mental blocks can all get in the way of our ability to enjoy life. Many of us seem to be wearing many hats and burning the candle at both ends, as they say, and time seems to fly by before our eyes. The final key element in BALANCED is one of the most important elements but can also be one of the most difficult: Dedication to taking care of ourselves and living a healthy life. 

Dedication means taking the time out of your day to breathe. Dedication means taking a moment to look within and be aware of how you are feeling, and then take action to improve upon that feeling if necessary. Dedication means taking the time to plan out, prepare and enjoy nutritious meals, snacks and drinks. Dedication means doing the best you can on any given day, or at any given moment, to commit to your well-being and make the best decisions you possibly can to care for yourself.  

Dedication is NOT perfection. (I have to keep reminding myself of that one.) Dedication means cutting yourself some slack for missing a workout, and getting back on the horse as soon as possible. Dedication means having the right network of family, friends, coaches and helpers to keep you moving toward your goals and truly living a well balanced life. Dedication means taking care of yourself so you can continue to care for others. (I have to remind myself of that one, too!)

Congratulations on your dedication so far along the journey toward your well-balanced life. The journey keeps on going until our time is up on this planet. I'm dedicated to being here for you to support you on your journey as I continue along mine. 

Keep moving well!  

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: "N" is for...

"We are what we eat"

How many times have you heard this phrase before? Have you ever considered this when you take a bite of an apple? Do you want to be or feel fresh, alive, vibrant, and healthy? How about when you take a bite of a doughnut? Do you want to be or feel soft, squishy, sugary sweet, or sticky? 

Food is often at the center of our family and social gatherings and has become a source of entertainment for people. We are fortunate to live in a time in history and a society where most people have access to a myriad of food choices, from corner stores to big box bulk grocery stores, farmers markets and food trucks, fast food and gourmet restaurants, and we are able to enjoy an array of flavors and foods many different ethnicities. It is up to each one of us to make a choice with each and every bite that we take throughout our lifetime to determine how we feel and how we "are." 

Food is meant to serve as the "fuel" our bodies use to provide energy for our daily activities, to grow new cells, heal, and keep us alive and thriving.  Unfortunately, many humans make food choices based on taste or convenience rather than on nutrition. If we are eating the appropriate amount and type of real, live, whole food, our body will receive the necessary nutrients and minerals to go on moving, working and healing for decades. On the other hand, if we choose to eat processed, unnatural or chemical filled foods, we don't receive the adequate nutrients for our internal organs to properly perform their functions, and eventually the rest of our body (including our muscular system) suffers, creating unpleasant sensations, diseases, and even premature death. 

As a Physical Therapist and Muscle Specialist, I have worked with hundreds of clients who suffer from unpleasant sensations including pain and inflammation, and who have diagnoses, diseases or injuries for which they have needed surgery. For the past 5 years especially, I have been educating myself on the effect of certain foods on the human body, the conditions that can result from poor dietary choices and nutritional deficiencies, and how this can impact the overall healing process.  On a personal note, I have been "challenged" myself with some food sensitivities since childhood and am now on my own healing journey to overcome some auto-immune conditions. Although I am not a dietician or nutritionist, I am very passionate about nutrition and learning as much as I can to help my clients, my family, and myself feel better. I have read A LOT of books and articles over the years about nutrition, various diets and detoxes, and the common denominator for supporting health and wellness is to minimize "inflammation."  

Inflammation is a natural process in our bodies that occurs when we are injured or the presence of a "foreign invader" is sensed by the intricate sensory and immune systems. Acute inflammation is a normal part of the body's healing process. If the injury or invader continues to be present, chronic inflammation can result. Chronic inflammation is at the root of many ailments, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune conditions, cancer, and more. If our gut lining is irritated from trying to digest inflammatory foods, the absorption of nutrients is compromised, and instead we absorb toxicity and other invaders that the body is usually able to fight off when the immune system is strong and not over-working.  

Many foods have been shown to have an inflammatory affect on the body. According to Organic Authority, the top 10 most inflammatory foods are gluten, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, hydrogenated oils, fried foods,  refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed or packaged foods, and refined salt. Click here for the full article: Inflammatory Foods. Minimizing or eliminating the above mentioned offenders and eating an anti-inflammatory diet will help to optimize your health and well-being. 

I originally wanted to list the most important nutrients for your joints and muscles, but the list of nutrients was overwhelming and I didn't want to bore you with all the details. Instead, I found a great article on Dr. Mercola's website about the most common nutrient deficiencies and how to be sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs. For those of you who are interested in optimizing your body's nutrient load, click here for the full article: Nutrient Deficiencies 

Educating yourself on nutrition and making the best possible choices for you and your family will go a long way in helping you to live a well-balanced life. After all, we truly ARE what we eat. 

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!