Stress

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Ann

We have all heard that stress is a killer, but you may not know some of the ramifications of living with constant stress. Because your body doesn’t function properly when you’re tense for hours and days on end, you can develop all kinds of symptoms that might not seem easily attributable to stress. Maybe you just get headaches, or it seems to take forever to heal after an injury. Maybe your digestions doesn’t work quite right, or your skin seems drier than usual. Certainly, your muscles have become rigid and good posture has gone out the window as your chest contracted and your shoulders rose around your ears.

Massage and acupuncture can help you relax and get your health back on track. My clients are often embarrassed that their stomachs start rumbling partway through their treatment, but I am pleased to hear the noise. It means that their nervous system has calmed down. But relaxing shouldn’t be something you can only do during a treatment. It should be something you practice and do on your own. I’m really grateful to Michelle Doetsch at Healing Yew for this wonderful blog on stress management:

The 5 Best Stress Management Tips

I hope you find it helpful. I did! I especially love tip #1. I practice Byron Katie‘s steps from her wonderful book Loving What Is (when I remember to do them – hey, nobody’s perfect!) and they work.

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Is Fructose Safe?

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Ann

The bottom line, according to a an article in the December 2011 issue of Acupuncture Today, is no, especially not in the quantities that the average person eats these day (an average of 28 teaspoons (over a half a cup) a day in added sugars). Fructose, the sugar found in fruit, and also in table sugar, agave nectar, and, of course, high fructose corn syrup, is sweeter than glucose. It is sometimes touted as safer than glucose, because it is low-glycemic, but research has been finding that it is actually worse (see, for example hunger or this article in Time Magazine).

Coconut sugar, on the left, which looks and tastes like brown sugar, is preferabe to white table sugar, on the right, which is about half fructose.

A new health craze, coconut sugar, on the left, which looks and tastes like brown sugar, primarily contains sucrose, just like white table sugar, though it is only about 18% sugar (the best analysis I’ve seen is at Nature’s Blessing). Sucrose is half fructose and half glucose.

But why is that the case? It’s natural, found in fruit, and doesn’t trigger the insulin release that is a problem for diabetics. In fact, for a while, fructose was recommended for diabetics, but it isn’t any longer. The problem lies in the way it’s metabolized in the body. If you’re eating fruit, it gets digested slowly, but, if you’re drinking a liquid, or eating a candy bar (crackers, bread, etc.), it goes into your system quickly and lands in your liver, where it turns into fat, and causes increased production of uric acid. Fructose also doesn’t appear to trigger feelings of fullness, so that people tend to consume too much at a time. This is one reason why soda and fruit juice are blamed for the increase in obesity, diabetes, and health problems in the world.

This doesn’t mean that you should switch to artificial sweeteners, which are toxic. Instead, do your best to reduce your sugar loads. Since sugar is added to many packaged foods, making your food from scratch using healthy ingredients will allow you to control how much goes into your system. Eat whole fruits, instead of drinking juice. And remember: in Traditional Chinese Medicine it’s all about balance. A little sugar won’t kill you, but 48 teaspoons a day is way, way too much. If you don’t want to cook all the time, get in the habit of reading labels, and choosing foods that are lower in added sugars.

If you want some help with healthy eating habits and weight loss, consider seeing an acupuncturist. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a powerful tool for improving your well-being. If you want coaching about a sugar addiction, or for more information about the problems with sugar consumption, go to Debbie St. Clair.

We are presently accepting new patients in Bend, Oregon. Call (541)420-6574 to schedule an acupuncture appointment.

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It isn’t the lactic acid

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Ann

I am often asked by my massage clients what massage is doing to their muscles. One of their common misconceptions, especially when they have recently over-exercised and their muscles are sore, is that it is removing lactic acid from their muscles. However, it has been known for a few years that lactic acid, a by product of anaerobic exertion, actually is converted back to pyruvate pretty quickly once exercise ends and oxygen again becomes available to the cells. In fact, massage right after exercise actually decreases blood flow and lactic acid removal (see this summary in the New York Times wellness blog, and if you are really curious, follow the link in the article to the one about boxing).

So what is actually causing post-exercise muscle pain and how might massage help? A 2006 Scientific American review here explains delayed-onset-muscle soreness (or DOMS) succinctly, and this Wikipedia article brings the information bit more up-to-date. Both articles say that DOMS is not completely understood, but that it’s clear that lactic acid does not play much, if any, role. Instead, micro-tears within the muscle fibers and connective tissue, followed by inflammation (which takes a while, explaining the delay), are the current explanation for what causes the pain. And a new study, published in February, 2012, and summarized here, indicates that massage shortly after the event helps minimize this inflammation, while also promoting the production of new mitochondria (the energy machines of cells).

On the other hand, it isn’t even known if inflammation is what causes post-exercise soreness. A recent article by Radak et al. suggests that nitric oxide may be the culprit.  So, until we have a more definitive answer about what causes the soreness, the real question may be: does massage after exercise help with DOMS? Many sports enthusiasts argue that it does. I remember working a long-distance relay a couple of years back, and a physical therapist told me that she recovered much faster after such running events if she got  massage within the hour.

And there is research to back her claim (although results are not clear-cut) primarily by decreasing pain levels and swelling about 30% (see Zainuddin et al and this review by Torres et al.). This and other studies say it does not help with another post-exercise problem – decreased muscle function, although the Torres review concludes that massage helps with pain and also helps with loss of function more than ice, stretching or low-intensity exercise. Torres et al. conclude that this massage effect is not enough to be clinically significant, but 30% less pain sounds a lot better than nothing to me, especially since new research says we shouldn’t just pop painkillers after exercise, because they have a deleterious effect on our recovery.

Beyond this, some of the most interesting research from my perspective has been published on rabbits (this study, for example, show a dose-dependent effect because more compressions a la sports massage meant faster recovery for the rabbits, while this one showed increased muscle elasticity with a machine massage meant to emulate deep effluerrage (those long smooth strokes we all love)). And massage is also used after exercise on horses, something I doubt equine owners would pay for unless it really did help the horse perform better.

Of course, there are other reasons than ameliorating DOMS for having a massage. But please don’t think that it is removing lactic acid. It isn’t there in the first place to be removed.

Disclaimer: As always, research on massage is still in its infancy. Most studies of its effects are too small to have confidence in their results, until they are duplicated. That includes everything cited here.

 

 

 

 

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Why sitting is so bad for your back and what to do about it

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Ann

In today’s world, many people sit all day, often at a computer. This can be awful for your back. I just found this fabulous blog at Healing Yew about why, with tips for preventing back pain when you have to sit all day. I added a few comments at the bottom of her page on things I have also found to help.

And then there is Coach Jenny’s marvelous idea about walking instead of sitting still here. I personally want to find myself a treadmill and revamp my workspace so I don’t sit at all! I love this.

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Hard work and miracles

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Ann

This past week, I did a one hour private session with Dr. Vance Bonner, and I have to tell you that it was amazing. I’ve had the great good fortune of studying with Dr. Bonner, the inventor of Structural Reprogramming, for about nine years, and it has helped me tremendously, but last week it was as if the sun finally came out and my body did this incredible shift. I could stand straight for the first time since I can remember.

This is a major miracle. When I started with her, my back looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I kid you not. I really have to go through my old photos and see if I can find one that shows how bad I was. I had a fair amount of constant pain, mainly in my mid-back and neck. There was this one spot, right along my spine, maybe two or three inches below my scapulae, that always hurt. Even though I was fit in the sense that I rode my bicycle a lot and hiked and skied, I was headed for an even more stooped old age, with all of the problems that can cause (more neck pain, pinched disks and nerves, ugh!).

Vance is truly an amazing being, and I am so lucky to have worked with her all of these years, but I don’t think we would have gotten there if it hadn’t been for all of the other things I’ve done. Each added one more piece to an ever growing pile that allowed my back to take that final step. Perhaps Cranio Sacral Therapy has been the most potent of those, but years of modern dance, yoga and tai chi, acupuncture, massage therapy, energy work, Rolfing  (although not a full series) and Myofascial Release added up.

I believe that all of this, plus some inner compass which just knew that I could do it, that it could happen, that one day I would look in the mirror and see a straight back, was necessary before I could straighten. Sessions with Dr. Vance Bonner, combined with therapy from one Lillie Goldstein, massage therapist and energy worker extraordinaire, provided the final tools to create a miracle breakthrough.

One thing I noticed about Vance, is that she gives her work every ounce of her attention. When I worked with her she would stare at me, then she’d pick an exercise and push as hard on me as I needed, which was sometimes an enormous amount. She’d help hold me in positions I could not yet do by myself. She cheerleaded, cajolled, explained, demonstrated, and so on, getting me to work harder than I ever thought possible. Sometimes I would break down in tears, get angry, or feel nauseous, but I always knew we were moving forward and engaging my body, mind, and emotions.

Let me explain that last little bit. A person doesn’t become hunched like I used to be without some kind of emotional trauma. It could happen as early as the womb or during birth, or it could have come from events in our lives. It might be some decision about not being good enough, or an accident, such as a car wreck. In any case, when the body changes those emotions come to the surface. The body resists the change and will do anything it can to stop you from shifting into a new strange place, such as becoming lightheaded or wanting to throw up. I had plenty of these sorts of experiences during and after classes and private sessions.

For the most part, I have taken classes with Vance. She teaches here in Bend, OR, for six months out of the year. I thought her work was so fabulous that I studied to become a teacher and I take over her classes when she is gone. But about two years ago I screwed up my courage (like many geniuses, she’s a little fierce – it reminds me of things said about Ida Rolf) and tried a private session with her and I started making faster progress.

Vance will be heading to the Washington, DC, area soon for the next five months. If you live around there and would like some help with pain, bunions, scoliosis, poor posture, knock-knees, and other musculo-skeletal conditions, I urge you to look at her WEB site, get her fabulous book, and give her a call. Don’t let the chance pass you by.

I’m not done straightening, and I have a new goal: a flexible back. (We might even work on backbends this summer, depending upon what the class is ready for – they are one way to loosen things up, but don’t worry, we take baby-steps and help spot each other.)

Come stretch with me here in Bend, Oregon. Classes start April 23rd, 2012, on Mondays at noon and Wednesdays at six PM, and they are two hours for the dirt-cheap price of $80 for an eight week session, or a $12 drop-in fee (you can’t do yoga for that price!). The only catch is that you either have to make the first class or do a private one-hour session with me ($50). Oh, and I have some vacations scheduled in the middle of the first session. To register you need to call me. My phone? (541)350-1613

Related articles:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/158727.The_Vance_Stance

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Caring for sore feet

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Ann

Do your feet sometimes ache or even hurt? Mine do.  I’m on them a lot of hours every day, due to work, and also because I don’t really like sitting down. There’s nothing worse than standing around on achy feet. I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel a lot more tired than I really am. I have a few tricks for dealing with them that I teach my massage clients, and also use myself.

Of course, there many different reasons people have sore feet, not all of which lend themselves to these techniques, so here are my caveats. If you have a neuroma between your toes, you definitely don’t want to put extra pressure on it. You can tell if you have one, because the pain is nasty or zingy. Usually, it’s between the middle toe and one of the toes next to it.  If you have neuropathy (ie numbness or serious pain that goes all of the time), you should be careful putting pressure on your feet, though it can sometimes actually make the pain better (but that depends upon the cause of the neuropathy and the condition of your feet – tissue damage can be a serious concern). Swollen feet are another consideration, because you don’t want to cause bruising and tissue damage.

That said, if your feet are basically healthy, here are some things to try. For all of them, barefoot is best.

1. Stretch your calves. Surprisingly, a lot of foot pain comes from your lower legs, especially if you have plantar fascitis.

2. Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes to loosen them up and get the circulation going. Do this a couple of times a day. I like to do it in bed before I go to sleep.
3. Stretch your feet two different ways. First, put the bottoms of your toes flat on the ground and lift your heel up. Push your heel as far forward as you can, keeping the heel straight in front of your toes. Next, turn your foot over, so that the top is on the ground, and push your heel forward again, once more keeping it aligned (heel comes straight forward).

Stretch with your toes flat

Stretch the top of your foot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Roll a tennis ball around under your foot. You can even put it in one place and stand on it, and move it to different spot. Tennis balls are great, because they are cheap and they have some give. You don’t want to use something too hard. You can buy specialized tools for this foot massage, but the ball is easy. I keep one on my desk.

5. Get a foam roller, and use it to massage your calves.

6. Foot soaks in epsom salts or cool water with a few drops of peppermint essential oil, and lying with your feet propped up are great ways to ease the sore feet we all get from standing.

If this doesn’t do the trick, reflexology and foot massage can help. Better shoes, orthotics, and acupuncture can make a difference. I have specialized training in myofascial release for the feet and find that it’s very effective. Often, if people are willing to do some home care, their feet feel better in one or two sessions. The feet are the foundation for your body, so doing something about them can affect everything else. I’m always accepting new clients. If you live in or visit Central Oregon feel free to contact us to set up an appointment. Go to our WEB site at Radiant Health Acupuncture and Massage for more information.

Do you have questions about this post, more ideas for foot care, or  requests for future posts? Please leave a comment for us.

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Gluten-free vegan bread

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Ann

These days, a lot of people are avoiding gluten, for various health reasons, and many of them are either allergic to eggs, but also trying to maintain a vegan diet. If you are one of those people, then finding bread that doesn’t taste like cardboard and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is difficult. Since I fall into this category, and also can’t eat potatoes without sneezing, I came up with this recipe:

1 c millet flour
½ c tapioca flour
½ c sorgum flour
½ c. buckwheat flour
½ c other flours (such as brown rice, teff, quinoa, amaranth, almond, fava, or coconut)
2 tsp. dry yeast
2 tsp. guar gum or xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive or safflower oil
1 Tbsp honey or agave syrup
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2  c. warm water (add more if the flour is dry, since you want the mixture to flow just a little)

Flours should be measured loose. Mix the dry ingredients well. Add the oil, honey and vinegar, then mix in the warm water until smooth. Put in greased bread pan. Bake in non-preheated oven at 350°F for 1 hr 15 mins or until a knife put in the center comes out clean. Times vary depending upon altitude….

Notes on flours: You can use 3 cups of any flour. I find that without the tapioca flour, the bread is too crumbly. Brown rice is a good choice for at least a cup, to eliminate that crumbliness, but its nutritional content is low. Teff makes it more of a hard bread and is high in fiber and protein, so I usually only use 1/4 c. Coconut flour is lovely, but very dry so you need more water. Amaranth is expensive, but high in protein. Quinoa flour works, too, but it’s a little bitter as is fava/garbonzo flour. Usually I buy a bunch of flours to have on hand and then blend to get different effects. Almond makes the bread crumbly, so I use small amounts of it (1-2 T). If you aren’t allergic to potato, you can use it instead of tapioca.

 

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