Massage News- March 2011
SPRING FORWARD TO OPTIMAL WELLNESS
Before ramping up spring work-outs get a tune up to help prevent injuries & maximize the benefits of body movement
WALKING WORKS
Walking is the best whole body movement we can do that improves the health of every system of the body without any damaging effects if it is done in alignment.
1. Want to lose weight? Turn off the TV-Research has shown people consume up to 71 % more food when glued to the TV.
2. Those who engage in aerobic activities like brisk walking at least five times a week spent 43 percent fewer days with upper respiratory infections than those who walked less than once a week. In one study, sick days were reduced by half in women who walked briskly for 35 to 45 minutes a day five days a week for 15 weeks.
3. Americans average just 5,117 steps per day ,A pedometer is an inexpensive easy way to keep track of our steps)
4. Even modest amounts of walking, if performed on a daily basis, can help maintain a healthy body weight.
5. Americans who walked more than 5,000 steps a day were 40 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which leads to diabetes. Those who walked 10,000 or more steps were 72 % less likely to get it. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2010.
6. Experts recommend that Americans add 30 to 40 minutes of walking to their day.
7. When the body is in optimal alignment, walking is the ideal weight bearing exercise helping to stimulate bone regeneration without wearing out the joints.
8. Older obese adults who walked and lost weight gained 20% improvement in mobility.
9. A study of ambulation among the elderly showed that the faster someone 65 years or older covered a short distance, the longer he or she could expect to live.
Let’s get moving now!
News from Gallagher Shamrock Gardens Greenhouse
Mother’s Day Plant Sale
Monday May 2 thru Saturday May 7
9 A m to 4 PM
In addition to the usual array of beautiful flowering annuals and perennials, this year’s crop will feature a variety of heirloom vegetables and herbs including Cherokee Purple & Brandywine Tomatoes, Black Beauty Zucchini, Waltham Butternut Squash, Blacktail Mountain Watermelon, Jimmy Nardello’s Sweet Peppers, Martino’s Roma Tomatoes, Greek Oregano, Thai Basil, Sweet Marjoram, and more….
I have been gardening for years and have found the plants from Shamrock Gardens to be far superior to any I have purchased from other sources. I think it’s the love they mix in with the soil & water.
All proceeds from the sale benefit programs for people with developmental disabilities.
Gallagher Services is located on Pot Spring Road across from Mercy Ridge in Timonium.
CLIP THIS COUPON TO SAVE
SPRING FORWARD TO MASSAGE SAVINGS
$10 OFF YOUR NEXT DEEP TISSUE, MYOFASCIAL, OR WARM STONE MASSAGE OF ONE HOUR OR MORE
VALID THRU MARCH 31, 2011
*****PLEASE NOTE****** IF YOU SEND ME AN EMAIL & DO NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM ME WITHIN 24 HOURS, PLEASE FOLLOW-UP YOUR EMAIL WITH A PHONE CALL****** THANK YOU.
Already there are little patches of greening grass & crocus pushing up through the earth blooming. Birds are chirping their playful mating songs. Geese are honking north. Life on Earth is awakening. These are reminders for us to awaken, too. The seeds we have been nurturing during the winter will now start to germinate. If we have been wise stewards of our health, we have gone within during the shorter days of winter and have eliminated what no longer serves our highest good. If we have not cleared away the physical, emotional, or mental clutter, we do not have to wait until next winter for cleansing. That is what spring cleaning is for!
In TCM wood is the element of spring, with the dominant organs the liver and gall bladder. The liver is the largest internal organ located in the upper right abdomen. The liver stores and distributes nourishment for the entire body, stores vitamins & minerals and filters toxins from the blood and breaks them down for elimination. If the liver is overloaded or congested it functions less efficiently and weaker areas of the body may become toxic. Balanced nutrition, avoiding alcohol, chemicals, drugs, fried or rancid oils and excess fatty meats keeps the liver energy clear & optimally functioning.
The gall bladder stores & secretes bile for digestion, especially the breakdown of fats. Referred pain from a congested gall bladder may be manifest in the shoulders or the upper mid-back. The external environment, our thoughts & feelings can affect the energetic flow manifesting as physical or mental tension.
The closer to source foods are the easier they are to digest & be used by the body. Unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, beans & nuts are full of vital energy more readily available to all the cells of our bodies. Our bodies were not designed to assimilate refined or chemically altered foods. Chemicals not assimilated are stored in our liver & the body must work harder to eliminate them.
Spring is an excellent time to begin a more mindful eating practice. Many of us “eat on the run” without paying attention to what we are consuming or knowing the source of our hunger. Emotional hunger appears suddenly, physical hunger comes on gradually. Emotional hunger is often the source of cravings for sweet, salty, fatty foods resulting in gradual weight gain. When we become conscious of the body’s signals and respond in a more healthy way, we bring our body into balance. The more balanced we become, the healthier our responses to the body’s cues- a perpetuating cycle of wellness started by taking small mindful steps. These small changes are what the energy of spring is all about. Careful observation of nature & reflection about the deeper meaning of seasonal changes as applied to our own lives brings harmony to our physical, mental, emotional & spiritual bodies. This is the key to preventing illness-becoming our own physician-answering the body’s needs appropriately & automatically. The difficulty for most of us is that, as with many things we are trying to relearn, small changes require regular practice to become big changes. I’ve heard it said we need to do something twenty one times for it to become a habit. (I won’t even mention that seventy time seven thing!)
HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR REDUCING FOOD CRAVINGS:
· Eliminate processed carbohydrates- sugar, baked goods, breads, crackers, chips, anything made from grains.
· To detox the liver( to begin to metabolize fats properly): for one week-Replace grains with broccoli or cauliflower. Eat garlic, chives, & leeks
· During withdrawal, take vitamin B complex & 100 mg chromium picolinate daily. Withdrawal from sugars & refined grains can cause symptoms similar to cigarette, alcohol or drug withdrawal
· Eat meat in a 4:1 ratio, limiting it to ¼ of the protein consumed daily. Eat lots of leafy greens & citrus fruit.
· Eat protein-cheese, eggs, nuts, or beans (hummus) every 4 hours.
· When seated at a restaurant, order a salad & skip the bread. The unlimited bread, biscuits or breadsticks is not a bargain when it comes to our health. Refined grains are replacing vegetables, fruits, beans & nuts that could lower blood pressure & possibly the risk of cardiovascular disease.
· Recognize emotional eating & address its causes.
Nutrition Action Healthletter, March 2011 & ABC News, Feb 3, 2011
Spring Cleaning
In addition to foods we consume, the liver is affected by toxins in our environment. For spring cleaning consider using natural cleaning solvents such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda. There are a number of websites that offer recipes for cleaning naturally and a number of products available in stores. Not all products labeled “natural” are healthier. Just like with foods, if a solvent has ingredients you cannot pronounce without an advanced degree in science, it is probably not “natural”. For more about caring for your indoor environment, here is a link to free short video courses from the International Institute for Biology & Ecology:
Melaleuca has an excellent product line using pharmaceutical grade Tea tree oil & other natural ingredients.
The February 7, 2011 issue of Time magazine reported “inexpensive high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters that remove 66% of indoor particulates can lower markers of inflammation in the blood by 33% and improve functioning of vessel cells.” Particulates in air from wood smoke & car exhaust contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease by promoting inflammation in lung tissue and blood vessel cells. Studies have shown a correlation between days of high concentrations of particulate matter in our air & hospital admissions for stroke & heart attack, Johns Hopkins reported last year. Some particles are so small as to be able to enter the blood stream directly through the lungs.
The information contained in this newsletter is no substitute for professional medical advice. Before beginning any exercise or nutritional plan, please consult your physician.