By Angelina Helene
While there are endless amount of healthy fruits and vegetables that should make up a healthy diet there are certain foods that standout as "superstars" in that they target specific conditions. One area every woman should be concerned with is HORMONAL Imbalance. Most doctors are quick to prescribe pills to combat this but there is a safer alternative (and cheaper!) -- many foods hold the solution. The four foods below should be included weekly if not daily to support estrogen balance for women of any age.
1. Cruciferous Veggies - Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage and Cauliflower are the BEST. They defend against female cancers, especially Breast Cancer. The indoles found in cruciferous veggies inactivate the active form of estrogen making them weaker. Also found to have enzymes that de-activate carcinogens and contain compounds that suppress tumors and halt cancer cell growth. One caveat though – women with hypothyroid should eat cruciferous veggies cooked as in their raw form they can inhibit the uptake of thyroid hormone. Quick recipe tip – Slow Roast fresh broccoli stalks with a sprinkle of olive oil, sea salt and crushed garlic – even broccoli haters will be tempted to try this one.
2. Fiber Rich Foods – Whole Grains in unprocessed forms and Beans are needed to “sweep” out excess toxins – including excess hormones. Perfect choices are Brown Rice, Quinoa, Lentils, Split Peas and Garbanzos. Choose dry beans over canned to eliminate preservatives and BPA (found in the lining of most canned products)
3. Healthy Fats – Ovaries depend on unsaturated fats for hormonal balance and fertility. Perfect choices are deep water fish, avocado’s, raw nuts & seeds and unrefined, unfiltered oils like Flax Seed and Olive oil. Flax is especially important as it contains lignans, which balance hormones and stabilize estrogen/progesterone ratio. Added bonus is soft, supple skin, reduced wrinkles and lush hair!
4. Probiotic Rich Foods – Enzyme and Probiotic rich foods not only help with digestive balance but also support the immune system and help with radiant skin in addition to metabolizing and recycling hormones (this is a good thing!) Natural, vegetarian choices are preferred over commercially sold yogurts. Good options are Kim Chi or other types of cultured veggies, kombucha and kefir.
Published February 24, 2012 at 2:25 PM
About Angelina Helene
Angelina Helene is holistic nutritionist and cleansing specialist and founder of Wholistic Revolution, helping individuals obtain a vibrant life through a balanced approach through eating and lifestyle. Angelina credits her lifestyle choices including juice fasting, yoga, meditating and a positive attitude in helping to overcome late stage Lyme disease.
Website: wholistic-revolution.com
Facebook: EnterTheRevolution
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Friday, February 24, 2012
Why Kale Is the Koolest Vegetable
By Abby Phon
It's no secret. I love kale. I have received phone calls, emails, texts and messages from friends and family saying that they just cooked kale for the first time and thought of me; last week a friend called from the grocery store, just because she saw kale and was reminded of me. This is probably a good indication of how I feel about kale.
During the winter months when other leafy greens are out of season, kale is in full bloom, in season, and richest in flavor. This leafy green, cruciferous vegetable is versatile to cook with and can be prepared just like spinach or any other greens.
As one of the most nutritionally dense foods, Kale scores a perfect 1,000 on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (just like the giant banners say at Whole Foods Market). The ANDI score is a food rating system that measures nutrients per calorie. One cup of kale has only 36 calories but it’s chock full of Vitamins K (1328% RDA), A (192%), C (90%), and E (6%). Kale also has calcium (9%), iron (6%), manganese, copper, calcium, fiber (10%), vitamin B6, potassium, iron, phytochemicals and even Omega 3 Fatty Acids (10%).
Here’s what Kale's nutrients do for YOU!:
Fiber: Kale keeps you fuller longer. That will help keep your snacking and over eating at bay, which keeps your weight down (so kale helps you stay fit and trim!). Diets high in fiber-rich leafy greens, like kale, show decreased risks of cancers (such as colon, breast, prostate, ovarian, bladder and lung), as well as heart disease and osteoporosis.
Phytochemicals: Kale lowers the risk of cataract and macular degeneration because it’s an excellent source of phytochemicals (lutein and zeaxanthin). For optimal eye health, the daily suggested dose of lutein and zeaxanthin is 6 to 15 milligrams. One half cup of cooked kale meets the recommended daily dose of these 2 phytochemicals. Along with lutein and zeaxanthin, Kale also has 45 other flavonoids—powerful antioxidants—linked to the protection against cancer.
Vitamin A: An effective antioxidant, it boosts immunity and maintains healthy bones and teeth.
Vitamin K: Necessary to produce osteocalcin, a protein that strengthens the composition of our bones. Studies show that women with diets low in Vitamin K have significantly lower bone density. Vitamin K also prevents calcium build-up in our tissue that can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke and is a key nutrient that regulates inflammation in the body.
Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant in brain cells, protecting them from free radicals. This will help keep your mind sharp!
Kale Preparation:
Kale is not fussy. It doesn’t require much prep at all so it’s a really great food friend to have, especially if you’re a busy person on the go (and let’s face it, who isn’t!?). As with all veggies (and especially dark green leafy ones), make sure you wash each leaf in cold water thoroughly. While they are dripping dry, cut out the big stem in the middle. Or what I do is grab hold of the bottom stem and pull, tearing that stalk out! Viola! Your kale is ready to go! Here are some things to do with it, once you’ve got it in your hands.
Kale Salad: If you’re a raw food purist or just in a warm climate and want something fresh, chop kale finely (amount is up to you!) . I recommend this lemon/tahini dressing: olive oil, a spoonful of tahini paste and fresh lemon juice; pour over the finely chopped green leaves and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The dressing will ‘marinade’ the leaves, softening them and soaking up the sunny goodness. Top with whatever veggies you like! Some of my favorites are yellow peppers, shaved fennel, avocado, pomegranate seeds and sliced cucumbers!
Sautéing/Braising: My favorite way to make kale is to sauté it with garlic and coconut oil (great as a side dish or as part of a main dish!). I use 2-3 cloves of garlic and about 1 tbsp coconut oil to one big bunch of kale. Gently heat the garlic then add the washed and chopped kale to your frying pan. You want to cook it over a medium-low heat until the leaves soften and wilt. How long you sauté is a personal preference, but I like my kale to keep some of its bright vibrant green color and health benefits so I don’t cook it for more than five minutes (remember, even if you turn off the heat, food keeps cooking!). If you want to go without oil, try braising: simmer in three-quarters of a cup of veggie broth for 20 minutes to soften up the leaves , drain and serve.
Steaming: Cover with a little water and cook until soft. Super healthy.
Kale Chips: I made this for a holiday party. I put out an entire bowl, made someone a cocktail, turned around and the bowl was empty! It is a great alternative for grownups, in place of potato chips. Kids love it too! And it’s super easy. Make sure your kale pieces are thoroughly dried (otherwise you’ll wind up with steamed kale instead!). Toss with olive oil, put in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the leaves halfway through. (And check them often; you don’t want the leaves to turn brown because they will become bitter.) When the leaves are crispy, sprinkle with sea salt and invite me over. J
Also: I add chopped kale to soups, stews, grains (like millet and quinoa), mashed potatoes and pasta (about a cup but the amount is up to you!). Last year when I was on vacation in the Caribbean, I had the chef add it to my omelet (delish!) and at home on the weekends I often use it as a bed for poached eggs or toss it in a smoothie.
Some tips:
•Avoid washing kale until just before use, since it will hasten spoilage.
•Kale will shrink during cooking, like spinach does but not as drastically.
•As with any fruit or vegetable, it’s best to buy kale in season. A light frost sweetens kale, so here in NYC, fall or winter is the perfect time to enjoy it.
•Fresh kale should have a bright green color. Avoid kale with yellow or brown leaves—that means it’s getting old.
Varieties of kale:
•Green kale – the most common variety in the grocery store, has a firm texture and curly leaves.
•Red kale – similar in taste and texture to green kale, but adds a splash of red or purple to your plate.
•Dinosaur kale (also called Tuscan or Lacinato) – the leaves are flatter and more tender than the other types.
•Ornamental kale – tougher than other kinds, and available in green, purple, pink and white. Often sold as decoration for a garden or window box, it’s still edible and makes a great garnish. (I’ve been caught eating the “garnish” off of platters at family functions! They make fun of me but I’m the one feeling awesome the next day!)
Have fun with kale. Eating more of this good green stuff will make you feel better, more vibrant and have increased energy. Now you have no reason, not to eat your greens!
Published February 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM
About Abby Phon
Abby Phon is a Certified Holistic Health Coach. She received her training at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is also a certified Shiatsu practitioner, a licensed massage therapist, an AFAA nationally certified group fitness instructor, an IntenSati Leader and a certified Oneness Blessing (Deeksha) Giver. Abby leads corporate workshops on nutrition and lifestyle, conducts food tours, cooking demonstrations and offers individual health and nutrition coaching around the world.
Website: feedyourmindbodyspirit.com
Facebook: AbbyPhon
Twitter: @AbbyPhon
It's no secret. I love kale. I have received phone calls, emails, texts and messages from friends and family saying that they just cooked kale for the first time and thought of me; last week a friend called from the grocery store, just because she saw kale and was reminded of me. This is probably a good indication of how I feel about kale.
During the winter months when other leafy greens are out of season, kale is in full bloom, in season, and richest in flavor. This leafy green, cruciferous vegetable is versatile to cook with and can be prepared just like spinach or any other greens.
As one of the most nutritionally dense foods, Kale scores a perfect 1,000 on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (just like the giant banners say at Whole Foods Market). The ANDI score is a food rating system that measures nutrients per calorie. One cup of kale has only 36 calories but it’s chock full of Vitamins K (1328% RDA), A (192%), C (90%), and E (6%). Kale also has calcium (9%), iron (6%), manganese, copper, calcium, fiber (10%), vitamin B6, potassium, iron, phytochemicals and even Omega 3 Fatty Acids (10%).
Here’s what Kale's nutrients do for YOU!:
Fiber: Kale keeps you fuller longer. That will help keep your snacking and over eating at bay, which keeps your weight down (so kale helps you stay fit and trim!). Diets high in fiber-rich leafy greens, like kale, show decreased risks of cancers (such as colon, breast, prostate, ovarian, bladder and lung), as well as heart disease and osteoporosis.
Phytochemicals: Kale lowers the risk of cataract and macular degeneration because it’s an excellent source of phytochemicals (lutein and zeaxanthin). For optimal eye health, the daily suggested dose of lutein and zeaxanthin is 6 to 15 milligrams. One half cup of cooked kale meets the recommended daily dose of these 2 phytochemicals. Along with lutein and zeaxanthin, Kale also has 45 other flavonoids—powerful antioxidants—linked to the protection against cancer.
Vitamin A: An effective antioxidant, it boosts immunity and maintains healthy bones and teeth.
Vitamin K: Necessary to produce osteocalcin, a protein that strengthens the composition of our bones. Studies show that women with diets low in Vitamin K have significantly lower bone density. Vitamin K also prevents calcium build-up in our tissue that can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke and is a key nutrient that regulates inflammation in the body.
Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant in brain cells, protecting them from free radicals. This will help keep your mind sharp!
Kale Preparation:
Kale is not fussy. It doesn’t require much prep at all so it’s a really great food friend to have, especially if you’re a busy person on the go (and let’s face it, who isn’t!?). As with all veggies (and especially dark green leafy ones), make sure you wash each leaf in cold water thoroughly. While they are dripping dry, cut out the big stem in the middle. Or what I do is grab hold of the bottom stem and pull, tearing that stalk out! Viola! Your kale is ready to go! Here are some things to do with it, once you’ve got it in your hands.
Kale Salad: If you’re a raw food purist or just in a warm climate and want something fresh, chop kale finely (amount is up to you!) . I recommend this lemon/tahini dressing: olive oil, a spoonful of tahini paste and fresh lemon juice; pour over the finely chopped green leaves and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The dressing will ‘marinade’ the leaves, softening them and soaking up the sunny goodness. Top with whatever veggies you like! Some of my favorites are yellow peppers, shaved fennel, avocado, pomegranate seeds and sliced cucumbers!
Sautéing/Braising: My favorite way to make kale is to sauté it with garlic and coconut oil (great as a side dish or as part of a main dish!). I use 2-3 cloves of garlic and about 1 tbsp coconut oil to one big bunch of kale. Gently heat the garlic then add the washed and chopped kale to your frying pan. You want to cook it over a medium-low heat until the leaves soften and wilt. How long you sauté is a personal preference, but I like my kale to keep some of its bright vibrant green color and health benefits so I don’t cook it for more than five minutes (remember, even if you turn off the heat, food keeps cooking!). If you want to go without oil, try braising: simmer in three-quarters of a cup of veggie broth for 20 minutes to soften up the leaves , drain and serve.
Steaming: Cover with a little water and cook until soft. Super healthy.
Kale Chips: I made this for a holiday party. I put out an entire bowl, made someone a cocktail, turned around and the bowl was empty! It is a great alternative for grownups, in place of potato chips. Kids love it too! And it’s super easy. Make sure your kale pieces are thoroughly dried (otherwise you’ll wind up with steamed kale instead!). Toss with olive oil, put in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the leaves halfway through. (And check them often; you don’t want the leaves to turn brown because they will become bitter.) When the leaves are crispy, sprinkle with sea salt and invite me over. J
Also: I add chopped kale to soups, stews, grains (like millet and quinoa), mashed potatoes and pasta (about a cup but the amount is up to you!). Last year when I was on vacation in the Caribbean, I had the chef add it to my omelet (delish!) and at home on the weekends I often use it as a bed for poached eggs or toss it in a smoothie.
Some tips:
•Avoid washing kale until just before use, since it will hasten spoilage.
•Kale will shrink during cooking, like spinach does but not as drastically.
•As with any fruit or vegetable, it’s best to buy kale in season. A light frost sweetens kale, so here in NYC, fall or winter is the perfect time to enjoy it.
•Fresh kale should have a bright green color. Avoid kale with yellow or brown leaves—that means it’s getting old.
Varieties of kale:
•Green kale – the most common variety in the grocery store, has a firm texture and curly leaves.
•Red kale – similar in taste and texture to green kale, but adds a splash of red or purple to your plate.
•Dinosaur kale (also called Tuscan or Lacinato) – the leaves are flatter and more tender than the other types.
•Ornamental kale – tougher than other kinds, and available in green, purple, pink and white. Often sold as decoration for a garden or window box, it’s still edible and makes a great garnish. (I’ve been caught eating the “garnish” off of platters at family functions! They make fun of me but I’m the one feeling awesome the next day!)
Have fun with kale. Eating more of this good green stuff will make you feel better, more vibrant and have increased energy. Now you have no reason, not to eat your greens!
Published February 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM
About Abby Phon
Abby Phon is a Certified Holistic Health Coach. She received her training at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is also a certified Shiatsu practitioner, a licensed massage therapist, an AFAA nationally certified group fitness instructor, an IntenSati Leader and a certified Oneness Blessing (Deeksha) Giver. Abby leads corporate workshops on nutrition and lifestyle, conducts food tours, cooking demonstrations and offers individual health and nutrition coaching around the world.
Website: feedyourmindbodyspirit.com
Facebook: AbbyPhon
Twitter: @AbbyPhon
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
How soda can affect your body
Of course moderation in everything but no one can really argue the benefits of drinking soda...
The Yoga of Food: Foods to Enjoy & Avoid
Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic Foods
By Nicky Moona
"You are what you eat" -- what does that statement mean to you? To most people, it simply means that the vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins in food build cells, blood, and bones in the body. In yoga, however, "You are what you eat" has a far more subtle and powerful meaning. Food is known to directly influence consciousness and feelings. It can induce bliss or anger, contentment or restlessness, thoughts of the sacred or the profane. The quality of the food you eat literally creates your state of mind, emotions, and consciousness. The teachings of yoga advocate a vegetarian diet with special emphasis on foods that bring peace to body, mind, and spirit.
The highest form of duty to oneself is the partaking of foods that are directly beneficial to health. “What” you eat and the “state of mind” you eat in have direct impact. The state of your health is dependent not only on what you choose to eat but also on what you choose not to eat. Being aware of the types of foods you consume—in terms of both benefits and ill effects—is very important.
Fundamental Yoga Food Distinctions: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic Foods
Sattvic Food (Eat the most)
Sattvic means “pure essence.” A Sattvic diet includes the consumption of pure foods that lead to the essence of true health. This is the purest form of the yoga diet and most suitable for serious yoga followers. It not only nourishes the body but calms and purifies the mind to maintain a peaceful state, enabling the body to function at its maximum potential while attaining spiritual growth. This type of food is all natural and easily digestible. It generates vitality, vigor, energy, and mental alertness; increases strength; eliminates fatigue; and enhances spirituality, peace, and tranquility. The human body has fundamental requirements: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and water. The Sattvic diet satisfies these requirements by including the majority of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, therapeutic spices, herbs, milk and natural sweeteners.
Rajasic Food (Eat moderately)
Rajasic food signifies the “can-do” attitude, and provides that extra stimulation the body needs at times. It is believed to generate ambition, anger, greed, lust, and egotism. However, it also generates excitement, fantasies, sensuality, sexuality, and the energy we need to accomplish, create, and achieve. We require a certain amount of Rajasic energy to survive; it enables us to keep pace with the changing world around us. For understandable reasons, Rajasic foods are recommended for only moderate or occasional consumption. These include all spicy, hot, bitter, sour, gaseous, and pungent foods, which are not as easily digestible as Sattvic foods. Examples include too salty, bitter, sour, and gaseous foods such as toor lentils, white urad lentils, black and green gram, chickpeas, soybeans; hot spices such as chilies and black pepper; and stimulants such as onion and garlic, tea, coffee, tobacco, soda, chocolate, and refined sugars.
Tamasic Food (Eat less)
Tamasic foods are known to benefit neither the mind nor the body. Under their influence, the body’s resistance to disease is destroyed, and the mind is filled with pessimism and the negative emotions of greed, anger, and impure thoughts. This type of food is very difficult to digest and generates the least amount of energy, often leading to dullness and lethargy. Tamasic foods enhance laziness, compulsion, suffering, depression, and dullness of the mind. Tamasic foods are impure, stale, fermented, highly processed, and addictive. They include meat, fish, eggs, intoxicants, alcohol, stale food (food kept for more than twenty-four hours). Processed, canned, and frozen foods are Tamasic, as well as foods containing preservatives, chemical additives, artificial flavors and colors, and reheated and deep-fried foods. These foods consume large amounts of energy while being digested and are believed to create antagonistic feelings. The body feels heavy, and the mind unfocused and uninspired. Tamasic foods are anathema to the basic goal of yoga: the union of mind and body.
The yoga diet’s potential for physical and mental transformation and its accessibility make it an ideal diet for people who want to be healthy and happy. And who in the world would want anything different.
Published June 21, 2011 at 12:30 AM
About Nicky Moona
Nicky Moona is a yoga chef, author and the very first to incorporate yogic food philosophy in an approachable way. Born in India and raised in a family that has been following the yoga lifestyle for several centuries; she learned generations' worth of yoga culinary traditions, passed along by her mother and grandmother. Her home-style recipes are adapted to allow even beginners to quickly learn to move within the yoga culinary techniques and cook with ease. Her cooking style caters to several different audiences, especially vegetarians and health conscious food lovers. Nicky Moona now resides in New York City.
By Nicky Moona
"You are what you eat" -- what does that statement mean to you? To most people, it simply means that the vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins in food build cells, blood, and bones in the body. In yoga, however, "You are what you eat" has a far more subtle and powerful meaning. Food is known to directly influence consciousness and feelings. It can induce bliss or anger, contentment or restlessness, thoughts of the sacred or the profane. The quality of the food you eat literally creates your state of mind, emotions, and consciousness. The teachings of yoga advocate a vegetarian diet with special emphasis on foods that bring peace to body, mind, and spirit.
The highest form of duty to oneself is the partaking of foods that are directly beneficial to health. “What” you eat and the “state of mind” you eat in have direct impact. The state of your health is dependent not only on what you choose to eat but also on what you choose not to eat. Being aware of the types of foods you consume—in terms of both benefits and ill effects—is very important.
Fundamental Yoga Food Distinctions: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic Foods
Sattvic Food (Eat the most)
Sattvic means “pure essence.” A Sattvic diet includes the consumption of pure foods that lead to the essence of true health. This is the purest form of the yoga diet and most suitable for serious yoga followers. It not only nourishes the body but calms and purifies the mind to maintain a peaceful state, enabling the body to function at its maximum potential while attaining spiritual growth. This type of food is all natural and easily digestible. It generates vitality, vigor, energy, and mental alertness; increases strength; eliminates fatigue; and enhances spirituality, peace, and tranquility. The human body has fundamental requirements: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and water. The Sattvic diet satisfies these requirements by including the majority of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, therapeutic spices, herbs, milk and natural sweeteners.
Rajasic Food (Eat moderately)
Rajasic food signifies the “can-do” attitude, and provides that extra stimulation the body needs at times. It is believed to generate ambition, anger, greed, lust, and egotism. However, it also generates excitement, fantasies, sensuality, sexuality, and the energy we need to accomplish, create, and achieve. We require a certain amount of Rajasic energy to survive; it enables us to keep pace with the changing world around us. For understandable reasons, Rajasic foods are recommended for only moderate or occasional consumption. These include all spicy, hot, bitter, sour, gaseous, and pungent foods, which are not as easily digestible as Sattvic foods. Examples include too salty, bitter, sour, and gaseous foods such as toor lentils, white urad lentils, black and green gram, chickpeas, soybeans; hot spices such as chilies and black pepper; and stimulants such as onion and garlic, tea, coffee, tobacco, soda, chocolate, and refined sugars.
Tamasic Food (Eat less)
Tamasic foods are known to benefit neither the mind nor the body. Under their influence, the body’s resistance to disease is destroyed, and the mind is filled with pessimism and the negative emotions of greed, anger, and impure thoughts. This type of food is very difficult to digest and generates the least amount of energy, often leading to dullness and lethargy. Tamasic foods enhance laziness, compulsion, suffering, depression, and dullness of the mind. Tamasic foods are impure, stale, fermented, highly processed, and addictive. They include meat, fish, eggs, intoxicants, alcohol, stale food (food kept for more than twenty-four hours). Processed, canned, and frozen foods are Tamasic, as well as foods containing preservatives, chemical additives, artificial flavors and colors, and reheated and deep-fried foods. These foods consume large amounts of energy while being digested and are believed to create antagonistic feelings. The body feels heavy, and the mind unfocused and uninspired. Tamasic foods are anathema to the basic goal of yoga: the union of mind and body.
The yoga diet’s potential for physical and mental transformation and its accessibility make it an ideal diet for people who want to be healthy and happy. And who in the world would want anything different.
Published June 21, 2011 at 12:30 AM
About Nicky Moona
Nicky Moona is a yoga chef, author and the very first to incorporate yogic food philosophy in an approachable way. Born in India and raised in a family that has been following the yoga lifestyle for several centuries; she learned generations' worth of yoga culinary traditions, passed along by her mother and grandmother. Her home-style recipes are adapted to allow even beginners to quickly learn to move within the yoga culinary techniques and cook with ease. Her cooking style caters to several different audiences, especially vegetarians and health conscious food lovers. Nicky Moona now resides in New York City.
Manage Your Joint Pain / Arthritis
Manage Your Joint Pain / Arthritis
Without Drugs (Part II)
By Dr. Peter Borten, LAc, DAOM, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at The Dragontree Spa and Creator of Imbue Pain Relief Patch
In my last blog on this topic, I introduced some of the mechanisms behind joint pain, and discussed one of the most basic approaches to drugless treatment – massaging the joint. This time, we’ll talk about some more things you can do to manage your joint pain.
First, be sure it’s actually coming from your joint. You may not be able to figure this out for sure on your own, but you can be fairly certain that if you discover tender spots in the muscles near the affected joint(s) which, when massaged or treated with other methods (e.g., acupuncture, our pain patch), cause the joint pain to go away mostly or completely, you’re onto something. Check out the Pain Expert section of our site. One of my main purposes in creating this tool was to help people discover how a form of muscular strain (and the physiological changes that follow) known as a myofascial trigger point can cause pain that seems to be coming from somewhere else. Shoulder pain, for instance, is not usually due to something wrong with the shoulder joint itself. Usually it’s due to myofascial trigger points in nearby muscles. This is good news. It’s almost always much easier to irritated muscles than damaged or deteriorating joints.
Drink more water. If you’re not already drinking about half the number of pounds you weigh as ounces of water each day, start doing it, and pay attention to how your joints feel. A dehydrated body has less pliable tissue, less flexible muscles, less fluid joints. Water is such a basic intervention for pain, we often don’t take it seriously enough. I wrote an article on the many benefits of water that you can read here.
Lose weight. Most joints can be burdened by having to move more weight around. This is especially the case for joints lower in the body, like the lower spine, hips, knees, and ankles. When climbing stairs, the knee takes a burden of 3 to 5 times one’s body weight, which means extra weight translates into a significantly greater load for this joint. If you’re obese, you already know there are all sorts of other benefits to your losing weight, not the least of which is that you’ll feel better about yourself.
Consider MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane). MSM is an organic form of sulfur. It’s found in many of the foods we eat. In our bodies it plays a role in the formation of healthy hair, skin, nails and connective tissue. (It does a lot of other useful things, too.) If you’re going to try supplements for your joint pain, MSM is a good place to start because it’s very, very safe. The worst thing I’ve heard from patients is that it gives some of them smelly gas. It’s a good idea to start with a fairly low dose, like 500mg or so each day, and gradually increase the dose to about 1000mg (1g) for every 50 pounds of your body weight, twice a day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you’d take 3g twice a day. Since this is kind of a lot, it’s a good idea to get the stuff as a tub of powder, which makes it more economical. You can just mix it with water; it doesn’t taste bad. If you notice good results at a lower dose, you don’t need to take this much. It tends to take a couple weeks (up to a couple months even) to notice the full benefit of MSM. If you don’t feel like it’s helping after a couple months, there’s no reason to keep taking it.
Consider Glucosamine Sulfate. So, it’s only the most popular dietary supplement for joint pain. There must be a reason people use it, right? Well, about half my patients who have tried it reported a distinct improvement in their pain while on it. Theoretically, glucosamine contributes to the production of new cartilage in joints where it has worn away. Another theory is that it works by stimulating production of a substance called hyaluronic acid in the joints, which supports their lubrication and shock absorption, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. In any case, in order to get any benefit from it, one usually needs to take enough of it – at least 1500mg a day (usually this is 750mg twice a day or 500mg three times) – and stick with it for months. Since the studies on glucosamine have been primarily on the sulfate form, this is widely considered to be more effective than the cheaper hydrochloride form. If you stop taking it, expect your results to disappear eventually.
Consider Fish Oil. Another popular supplement, fish oil has gotten so much press for good reason. It supplies essential fats we get through very few dietary sources. These fats are deeply lubricating and anti-inflammatory. They help some cases of joint pain, and have numerous other benefits to the body. When patients tell me they take fish oil, but aren’t sure if it’s helping, I ask them how much they’re using, and invariably, it’s a very small amount. As a starting dose, I usually prescribe a teaspoon of liquid fish oil morning and night with some food in the stomach. This is equivalent to about 10 large softgels. If a patient doesn’t notice any benefit at this dose, I have them go up to as much as a tablespoon twice a day, which is equivalent to roughly 30 large softgels per day. Frequently, my patients tell me they’re taking one or two softgels a day. Liquid makes a lot more sense, both because it’s much more economical, and because it’s easier to take one quick swallow of oil than to try to down 5 to 15 pills at once.
Before you start with any new dietary supplement, talk to your doctor.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
Without Drugs (Part II)
By Dr. Peter Borten, LAc, DAOM, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at The Dragontree Spa and Creator of Imbue Pain Relief Patch
In my last blog on this topic, I introduced some of the mechanisms behind joint pain, and discussed one of the most basic approaches to drugless treatment – massaging the joint. This time, we’ll talk about some more things you can do to manage your joint pain.
First, be sure it’s actually coming from your joint. You may not be able to figure this out for sure on your own, but you can be fairly certain that if you discover tender spots in the muscles near the affected joint(s) which, when massaged or treated with other methods (e.g., acupuncture, our pain patch), cause the joint pain to go away mostly or completely, you’re onto something. Check out the Pain Expert section of our site. One of my main purposes in creating this tool was to help people discover how a form of muscular strain (and the physiological changes that follow) known as a myofascial trigger point can cause pain that seems to be coming from somewhere else. Shoulder pain, for instance, is not usually due to something wrong with the shoulder joint itself. Usually it’s due to myofascial trigger points in nearby muscles. This is good news. It’s almost always much easier to irritated muscles than damaged or deteriorating joints.
Drink more water. If you’re not already drinking about half the number of pounds you weigh as ounces of water each day, start doing it, and pay attention to how your joints feel. A dehydrated body has less pliable tissue, less flexible muscles, less fluid joints. Water is such a basic intervention for pain, we often don’t take it seriously enough. I wrote an article on the many benefits of water that you can read here.
Lose weight. Most joints can be burdened by having to move more weight around. This is especially the case for joints lower in the body, like the lower spine, hips, knees, and ankles. When climbing stairs, the knee takes a burden of 3 to 5 times one’s body weight, which means extra weight translates into a significantly greater load for this joint. If you’re obese, you already know there are all sorts of other benefits to your losing weight, not the least of which is that you’ll feel better about yourself.
Consider MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane). MSM is an organic form of sulfur. It’s found in many of the foods we eat. In our bodies it plays a role in the formation of healthy hair, skin, nails and connective tissue. (It does a lot of other useful things, too.) If you’re going to try supplements for your joint pain, MSM is a good place to start because it’s very, very safe. The worst thing I’ve heard from patients is that it gives some of them smelly gas. It’s a good idea to start with a fairly low dose, like 500mg or so each day, and gradually increase the dose to about 1000mg (1g) for every 50 pounds of your body weight, twice a day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you’d take 3g twice a day. Since this is kind of a lot, it’s a good idea to get the stuff as a tub of powder, which makes it more economical. You can just mix it with water; it doesn’t taste bad. If you notice good results at a lower dose, you don’t need to take this much. It tends to take a couple weeks (up to a couple months even) to notice the full benefit of MSM. If you don’t feel like it’s helping after a couple months, there’s no reason to keep taking it.
Consider Glucosamine Sulfate. So, it’s only the most popular dietary supplement for joint pain. There must be a reason people use it, right? Well, about half my patients who have tried it reported a distinct improvement in their pain while on it. Theoretically, glucosamine contributes to the production of new cartilage in joints where it has worn away. Another theory is that it works by stimulating production of a substance called hyaluronic acid in the joints, which supports their lubrication and shock absorption, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. In any case, in order to get any benefit from it, one usually needs to take enough of it – at least 1500mg a day (usually this is 750mg twice a day or 500mg three times) – and stick with it for months. Since the studies on glucosamine have been primarily on the sulfate form, this is widely considered to be more effective than the cheaper hydrochloride form. If you stop taking it, expect your results to disappear eventually.
Consider Fish Oil. Another popular supplement, fish oil has gotten so much press for good reason. It supplies essential fats we get through very few dietary sources. These fats are deeply lubricating and anti-inflammatory. They help some cases of joint pain, and have numerous other benefits to the body. When patients tell me they take fish oil, but aren’t sure if it’s helping, I ask them how much they’re using, and invariably, it’s a very small amount. As a starting dose, I usually prescribe a teaspoon of liquid fish oil morning and night with some food in the stomach. This is equivalent to about 10 large softgels. If a patient doesn’t notice any benefit at this dose, I have them go up to as much as a tablespoon twice a day, which is equivalent to roughly 30 large softgels per day. Frequently, my patients tell me they’re taking one or two softgels a day. Liquid makes a lot more sense, both because it’s much more economical, and because it’s easier to take one quick swallow of oil than to try to down 5 to 15 pills at once.
Before you start with any new dietary supplement, talk to your doctor.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Patience Quotes from Class today
"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting, that is laziness. But to keep going when the the going is hard and slow, that is patience."
"Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not seek now the answers which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions."
Rainer Maria Rilke
"Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not seek now the answers which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions."
Rainer Maria Rilke
Alternative Treatments for Cold and Flu
We are in the middle of cold and flu season and if you feel like you are on the brink of a cold or the flu have you tried homeopathy as a treatment?
Homeopathic medicines are not herbal or food supplements. They are in fact drugs. Homeopathic medicines contain microdoses so they do not cause side effects or combination hazards with other drugs. You also do not have to worry about side effects from taking them like stomach irritation and drowsiness. These alternative medicines are frequently used for treating self-diagnosable illnesses. They are best taken at the first sign of an illness which is the time to help your body fight the disorder. They basically feed enough of the drug to your body so that your own immune system starts to work.
Homeopathy can be used for colds, flu, sore throat, cough, sleep disturbances, allergies, stress, sinus pain, mentrual cramps, muscle soreness, bruises, indigestion...the list goes on an on. It is always best to check with your natural health care provider for assistance in choosing homeopathy but these drugs are available over the counter. You can find them here at New Seasons, Whole Foods, Food Front Co-op, and even Fred Meyer.
Some of my favorites for cold and flu season are Coldcalm, Chestal, and Oscillococcinum. All these are manufactured by Boiron. Homeopathy is safe for children as well. I do not always find that I am instantly cured by using homeopathy but I do find my symptoms are lessened and shortened most often.
Other treatments for Cold and Flu:
-The best remedy for cold and flu is ginger!Ginger tea is great and can be found at most grocery stores.
-Boil water and place a towel over your head and allow the steam to open up nasal passages ways.
-Vitamin C supplements or high Vitamin C foods
-Drink hot water and lemon with a hint of natural honey
-Melt ghee (see recipe in previous posts)and place a few drops in each nostril
-Avoid sugar and dairy
-Avoid cold foods and drinks
-Use a neti pot or Neil Med Nedi Rinse Kit to clear nasal and sinus passages with a salt water solution. I buy the pre mixed salt packages
-Restorative yoga poses that open the heart. Inversions (shoulder stand and headstand) are good immunity builders. Supported forward bends can be nice to stop nasal drip.
-Alternate nostril breathing
-Rest,rest, rest and hydrate!
Ginger Cardamon Tea
Ginger 2 parts;Cinnamon 3 parts;Cardamon-pinch
Steep 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water for 1. 0-15 minutes. When the tea has cooled add about 1/2 to 1 tsp of honey
Homeopathic medicines are not herbal or food supplements. They are in fact drugs. Homeopathic medicines contain microdoses so they do not cause side effects or combination hazards with other drugs. You also do not have to worry about side effects from taking them like stomach irritation and drowsiness. These alternative medicines are frequently used for treating self-diagnosable illnesses. They are best taken at the first sign of an illness which is the time to help your body fight the disorder. They basically feed enough of the drug to your body so that your own immune system starts to work.
Homeopathy can be used for colds, flu, sore throat, cough, sleep disturbances, allergies, stress, sinus pain, mentrual cramps, muscle soreness, bruises, indigestion...the list goes on an on. It is always best to check with your natural health care provider for assistance in choosing homeopathy but these drugs are available over the counter. You can find them here at New Seasons, Whole Foods, Food Front Co-op, and even Fred Meyer.
Some of my favorites for cold and flu season are Coldcalm, Chestal, and Oscillococcinum. All these are manufactured by Boiron. Homeopathy is safe for children as well. I do not always find that I am instantly cured by using homeopathy but I do find my symptoms are lessened and shortened most often.
Other treatments for Cold and Flu:
-The best remedy for cold and flu is ginger!Ginger tea is great and can be found at most grocery stores.
-Boil water and place a towel over your head and allow the steam to open up nasal passages ways.
-Vitamin C supplements or high Vitamin C foods
-Drink hot water and lemon with a hint of natural honey
-Melt ghee (see recipe in previous posts)and place a few drops in each nostril
-Avoid sugar and dairy
-Avoid cold foods and drinks
-Use a neti pot or Neil Med Nedi Rinse Kit to clear nasal and sinus passages with a salt water solution. I buy the pre mixed salt packages
-Restorative yoga poses that open the heart. Inversions (shoulder stand and headstand) are good immunity builders. Supported forward bends can be nice to stop nasal drip.
-Alternate nostril breathing
-Rest,rest, rest and hydrate!
Ginger Cardamon Tea
Ginger 2 parts;Cinnamon 3 parts;Cardamon-pinch
Steep 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water for 1. 0-15 minutes. When the tea has cooled add about 1/2 to 1 tsp of honey
Yoga Retreat May 2012 Update
Deadline for my May Tulum 2012 Yoga Retreat is March 17th. After that date I cannot guarantee that there will be space at the location. I hope some of you who are considering joining me will consider taking the leap!Event details can be found on the "Events" link.
Some people recently have asked me..why go on a yoga retreat? What are the benefits? What do you do all day...yoga?
Here is a typical day on the retreat...
Wake up to a beautiful sunrise and fresh ocean breeze around 7:30 and come down to the breakfast area for hot tea or coffee as you journal, take a walk, read a book or just stare into the blue ocean about 100 yards away. We will do a meditation session daily on the beach. This is optional of course.
Around 8:15a we will have a morning yoga practice in an open air studio overlooking the ocean. The practice will be anywhere from 60-90 minutes. Then we will stroll downstairs to a beautiful spread of delicious, local and healthy food. Breakfast at Amansala is to die for. There are so many choices that you will want it all but it is all healthy so go for it!
Then you have free time all day to relax at the beach, ride a bike into town and look around, snorkel, play in the ocean, nap, you name it!!! Lunch is served around 1p and again it is healthy and refreshing. Drinks are available oceanside all day if that appeals to you. :) One day we will offer a field trip somewhere fun.
Around 5p, we will have another afternoon practice for about 60 minutes again. This can be skipped if you are having too much fun...doing something else. After the practice, you can change and shower or head on down to dinner. It is a large spread of all kinds of options that will suit anyone's tastes. They offer vegetarian options at each meal. Dessert is something not to be missed...and did I mention they offer a drink of the day which is some equisite tea or juice of some kind!
After dinner some nights we will have an activity like salsa dancing or drumming if you are interested. We also will have a restorative nighty night practice to send you to bed all blissed out!
Then you wake up and pinch yourself and do it again!!!!
Are you sold yet? The pro is that you have all the activities and yoga that you could want and yet it is all a choice for you to decide how much you want. The con is that time will fly by and you will contemplate quitting your job and becoming a beach yoga bum. No doubt!
Email me with questions. Efficiency accomodations are still available!
Some people recently have asked me..why go on a yoga retreat? What are the benefits? What do you do all day...yoga?
Here is a typical day on the retreat...
Wake up to a beautiful sunrise and fresh ocean breeze around 7:30 and come down to the breakfast area for hot tea or coffee as you journal, take a walk, read a book or just stare into the blue ocean about 100 yards away. We will do a meditation session daily on the beach. This is optional of course.
Around 8:15a we will have a morning yoga practice in an open air studio overlooking the ocean. The practice will be anywhere from 60-90 minutes. Then we will stroll downstairs to a beautiful spread of delicious, local and healthy food. Breakfast at Amansala is to die for. There are so many choices that you will want it all but it is all healthy so go for it!
Then you have free time all day to relax at the beach, ride a bike into town and look around, snorkel, play in the ocean, nap, you name it!!! Lunch is served around 1p and again it is healthy and refreshing. Drinks are available oceanside all day if that appeals to you. :) One day we will offer a field trip somewhere fun.
Around 5p, we will have another afternoon practice for about 60 minutes again. This can be skipped if you are having too much fun...doing something else. After the practice, you can change and shower or head on down to dinner. It is a large spread of all kinds of options that will suit anyone's tastes. They offer vegetarian options at each meal. Dessert is something not to be missed...and did I mention they offer a drink of the day which is some equisite tea or juice of some kind!
After dinner some nights we will have an activity like salsa dancing or drumming if you are interested. We also will have a restorative nighty night practice to send you to bed all blissed out!
Then you wake up and pinch yourself and do it again!!!!
Are you sold yet? The pro is that you have all the activities and yoga that you could want and yet it is all a choice for you to decide how much you want. The con is that time will fly by and you will contemplate quitting your job and becoming a beach yoga bum. No doubt!
Email me with questions. Efficiency accomodations are still available!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Why Do you practice yoga?
"Yoga is a powerful vehicle for change. As yuo build strength, you start to believe in your own potential". Tiffany Cruikshank
I have often been asked why I like yoga and why I practice. Truthfully, I came to yoga because it seemed like another fun class to take and explore. I didn't know anything about it's philosophy or about the mental benefits. I figured it was another way to "get in shape". Even when I decided to go through teacher training and start teaching yoga, it was just another class for me. Many people come to yoga for many different reasons..back aches, tight muscles, muscular imbalances, hoping to increase athletic performance, desiring a lean body...the list can go on and on. Does it matter? Do you need to understand what yoga is from a philosophical perspective to truly experince yoga? If you are just interested in the physical aspects is it really yoga?
Recently, I have been intreiged with handstand. It is a pose I have never really done and it is plain scary. I decided that for a month straight or as long as it took. I would attempy atleast 3 handstands a day. I would pull my mat up to a wall and go for it. Maybe I would use the wall each time or maybe one day I would kick up and the wall would be as if it were imaginary because I would not need it. Well, the other day I kicked up and stuck it...the wall was there to catch me but for the 2 seconds or so that I held the pose I felt joy like no other. I did it! I actually held the pose. I felt the accomplishment of achieving something that I really worked for and even if the results were fleeting..I could feel hope that one day it may happen for 10 seconds then 15 seconds and so on. It hit me that yoga was teaching me patience, perserverence, and trust in the process. It is easy to give up, it is easy to try something and fear failure. It is exciting and joyful and satisfying to work and try and give something your all and to one day get a glipmse of feeling it happen.
So, my opinion about why yoga? It will teach you to try and to see what happens when you do. It will force you to face your fears and see how you react. It will force you to test your limits. It will force you to see who you are when things get well, uncomfortable. Yoga will test each part of you. Each time you come to your mat you are different. Some days you are unstoppable,and intense and other days you are tired and hopeless. And each time you come your mat and face who you are at the moment and press on you become stronger. Not that each class is pleasant and easy. Some days I come to my mat and I am frustrated with what I cannot do, but then I can truly understand how I react in that feeling. Do I give up or do I come back the next day and say "let's try again". Do I accept where I am each day with compassion or do I ridicule myself for not being perfectly balanced?
Each day that I come back to mat I am stronger and I am changing myself. It is through this constant process of examination, submission, and acceptance that I become better aquainted with who I truly am.
Does it matter what brings you to the mat? I say no, it just matters who you are when you leave.
I have often been asked why I like yoga and why I practice. Truthfully, I came to yoga because it seemed like another fun class to take and explore. I didn't know anything about it's philosophy or about the mental benefits. I figured it was another way to "get in shape". Even when I decided to go through teacher training and start teaching yoga, it was just another class for me. Many people come to yoga for many different reasons..back aches, tight muscles, muscular imbalances, hoping to increase athletic performance, desiring a lean body...the list can go on and on. Does it matter? Do you need to understand what yoga is from a philosophical perspective to truly experince yoga? If you are just interested in the physical aspects is it really yoga?
Recently, I have been intreiged with handstand. It is a pose I have never really done and it is plain scary. I decided that for a month straight or as long as it took. I would attempy atleast 3 handstands a day. I would pull my mat up to a wall and go for it. Maybe I would use the wall each time or maybe one day I would kick up and the wall would be as if it were imaginary because I would not need it. Well, the other day I kicked up and stuck it...the wall was there to catch me but for the 2 seconds or so that I held the pose I felt joy like no other. I did it! I actually held the pose. I felt the accomplishment of achieving something that I really worked for and even if the results were fleeting..I could feel hope that one day it may happen for 10 seconds then 15 seconds and so on. It hit me that yoga was teaching me patience, perserverence, and trust in the process. It is easy to give up, it is easy to try something and fear failure. It is exciting and joyful and satisfying to work and try and give something your all and to one day get a glipmse of feeling it happen.
So, my opinion about why yoga? It will teach you to try and to see what happens when you do. It will force you to face your fears and see how you react. It will force you to test your limits. It will force you to see who you are when things get well, uncomfortable. Yoga will test each part of you. Each time you come to your mat you are different. Some days you are unstoppable,and intense and other days you are tired and hopeless. And each time you come your mat and face who you are at the moment and press on you become stronger. Not that each class is pleasant and easy. Some days I come to my mat and I am frustrated with what I cannot do, but then I can truly understand how I react in that feeling. Do I give up or do I come back the next day and say "let's try again". Do I accept where I am each day with compassion or do I ridicule myself for not being perfectly balanced?
Each day that I come back to mat I am stronger and I am changing myself. It is through this constant process of examination, submission, and acceptance that I become better aquainted with who I truly am.
Does it matter what brings you to the mat? I say no, it just matters who you are when you leave.
Blueberry Quinoa Muffins
From Yoga Journal
1c cornmeal
1c rice flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c cooked quinoa
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c rice milk
1/2 c applesauce
1 T lemon juice
1/4c canola oil
1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10 muffine cups.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1st 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together cooked quinoa, maple syrup, rice milk, applesauce, lemon juice and oil.
3. Add wet mixture to dry nad stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries, spoon batter into tins and bake for 20 min.
Notes abour Quinoa:
Quinoa is actually a seed. It is packed with protein!
1c cornmeal
1c rice flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c cooked quinoa
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c rice milk
1/2 c applesauce
1 T lemon juice
1/4c canola oil
1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10 muffine cups.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1st 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together cooked quinoa, maple syrup, rice milk, applesauce, lemon juice and oil.
3. Add wet mixture to dry nad stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries, spoon batter into tins and bake for 20 min.
Notes abour Quinoa:
Quinoa is actually a seed. It is packed with protein!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Pose of the Month-Marichyasana I
The pose that has been on my mind recently is the pose, Marichyasana. It quite the interesting pose. It appears from just looking that it is a forward bend..well once you explore this pose more carefully, you find it is truly a hip opening pose too. Oddly, we can cheat our way out of the hip opener if we just lay our weight into the straight leg and let go of the downward pull of the bent leg. This pose takes careful attention. You cannot just contort your way in without missing the benefit. If you click on the link to the title of this pose you can see YJ's explanation of how to get into this pose. Gregor Maehle, Ashtanga geru describes the pose as follows...
"The action of the forward bending is performed solely by the hip flexors and is supported by the feet, legs and trunk. With our hands bound, the tempation to use our arms for assistance to fold forward is removed. Marichyasana I offers the therapeutic benefit of strengthening these muscles. The handicap becomes the gift."
I recommend sitting on a blanket or block if your hip flexors and or hamstrings limit you in this pose. You can also use a strap to help you bind.
This pose is great for digestion as it compresses the abdomen.
When I am drawn to a pose I always want to understand why.It is funny because I looked at my various volumes of yoga books for the story of Marichi and could not find anything. He is the son of Brahma and was called the "Ray of Light". He is the grandfather to the God Surya with which our Sun Salutations are named. No story about life no lesson learned and no reason that this pose should bear his name. I even asked my teacher about him and she did not have much either. So, I thought what does this pose teach me? I think it teaches me to slow down and take the time to set up so that I do not miss the "gift of the pose"..the hip softening. If you rush through the set up just to get to the forward fold that is what you get. If you thoughtfully align your bodyweight over both legs and open your heart and lift your heart center then you are able to find the length in the spine and the stretch into the hip. It is work to get here but the reward is a different feel. Sometimes is life we rush to Point B all along missing the journey to perhaps Point C which is a much more fun destination than Point B. The unexpected can only be found if we slow down and awaken our hearts to see the unfamiliar or the road less traveled.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Practicing Acceptance
Recently ,I have been in a funk it seems. This is odd for me, the perpetual optimist. I have felt frustrated that certain things in my life were not as I would have liked them to be. I have felt lonely, disappointed, impatient and downright mad about it.
It came to a head on Sunday. I decided to journal about what was really going on in hopes of solving this dilemna and moving on(after all I am a do-er so things need to just get checked off my list). Although I could have followed many strings of events in my life and analyzed them to death (this is where being an engineer is not helpful) I quickly saw a common theme. I was not practicing acceptance. My life is how it is period. I can wish it to be different in so many ways, imagine it differtly but the reality is that it is as it is. That may sound obvious but to truly accept my life is to stop resisting it as it stands. Have you ever thought about how much energy and time we spend resisting what is before us? What if we just stop and say..this is my life and I say "yes" to it for now. What if I stop asking why and start saying "thank you" even if I do not know why. That does not mean that I understand how I got here, that I do not dream of new opportunities but it means that I say "yes, I am going to accept what is before me". I will hold the feeling of opposites. I desire something new perhaps but I also hold the feeling of appreciation and acceptance of where I am. I do not "pretend" to be over it all. I just accept the feelings as they come. Some days I may feel lonely or sad or impatient and I will accept those feelings and call them by name. Some days my eyes may open to realization that where I am standing is where I am supposed to be standing and something of this madness will make sense if even for a brief moment.
When I journaled about a specific situation in my life, I tried to put on a new set of lenses to view the situation. What if, the reason this situation is playing out as it is, truly is for my benefit and if I received exactly what I think I want..I would be disappointed in the end (this never happens right?:))When I thought of possible scenarios where this would hold true my resistance softened. I thought..Maybe. Who really knows? Maybe there is not a reason for the maddnes but I think there is. I trust in a higher power that I believe does give us what we truly need and are asking for...just perhaps not in the exact form we ask for but sometimes surprisingly better.
I decided that for now I will just say yes. I will practice acceptance for where I am and what I am feeling. I will not try to feel happy and grateful when I am not but in all cases I will say yes and thank you for the opportunity to be present right where I am. Because truly saying no is just a fallacy. By saying no we just build that resistance that blocks that flow of energy that allows us clarity, intuition and peace.
We can practice this acceptance in our yoga practice when we embrace our limitations and our current abilities. Not that we do not all desire to put our foot behind our head or perform handstand in the middle of the room but what if we just say...I am in this body today and this body most likely will not pop into handstand or foot behind the head but maybe tomorrow and then again maybe never. I accept my body as it is given to me...today!
Acceptance is not easy but if we want to be real with life and ourselves..acceptance is the root of it all. It our being at the core in whatever shape, state or presence we find it. Saying yes takes a lot less effort that pushing against that imaginary door that holding us hostage.
"You can be fully satisfied with where you are, understanding that you’re eternally evolving. When you get into that place of feeling appreciation of where you are and of who you are, and appreciation of what you are, and you accept that you are a never-ending, always unfolding Being, then you can stand in that delicate balance of being optimistic about what is to come, without being unhappy about where you stand. Find a way of eagerly anticipating future changes, while at the same time you are in love and satisfied with who, what, where and how you be."
-Abraham Hicks
If you are of of those rare and fortunate people who already experience your body as perfect exactly as it is, with all its foibles and strengths, then you already embraced the lesson of acceptance and can fast forward to the next lesson. However, if any small part of you believes that you would be happier if you were thinner, taller, larger, firmer, blonder, stronger, or some other physical alteration you think would magically transform your life for the better, then you might want to spend some time learning about the value of true acceptance.
"Acceptance is the act of embracing what life presents to you with a good attitude. Our bodies are among the most willing and wise teachers of this lesson. It can be like an ever-present benevolent guide or a lifelong cross you bear. The decision is yours based on how well you learn this lesson.
For many people, their body is the target for their harshest judgment and the barometer by which they measure their self worth. They hold themselves up to an unattainable standard and berate themselves for coming up short of perfection. Since your physical shape is the form in which you show up in the world, it is very often the way you define yourself, and often the way others define you."
Andrew Adler
It came to a head on Sunday. I decided to journal about what was really going on in hopes of solving this dilemna and moving on(after all I am a do-er so things need to just get checked off my list). Although I could have followed many strings of events in my life and analyzed them to death (this is where being an engineer is not helpful) I quickly saw a common theme. I was not practicing acceptance. My life is how it is period. I can wish it to be different in so many ways, imagine it differtly but the reality is that it is as it is. That may sound obvious but to truly accept my life is to stop resisting it as it stands. Have you ever thought about how much energy and time we spend resisting what is before us? What if we just stop and say..this is my life and I say "yes" to it for now. What if I stop asking why and start saying "thank you" even if I do not know why. That does not mean that I understand how I got here, that I do not dream of new opportunities but it means that I say "yes, I am going to accept what is before me". I will hold the feeling of opposites. I desire something new perhaps but I also hold the feeling of appreciation and acceptance of where I am. I do not "pretend" to be over it all. I just accept the feelings as they come. Some days I may feel lonely or sad or impatient and I will accept those feelings and call them by name. Some days my eyes may open to realization that where I am standing is where I am supposed to be standing and something of this madness will make sense if even for a brief moment.
When I journaled about a specific situation in my life, I tried to put on a new set of lenses to view the situation. What if, the reason this situation is playing out as it is, truly is for my benefit and if I received exactly what I think I want..I would be disappointed in the end (this never happens right?:))When I thought of possible scenarios where this would hold true my resistance softened. I thought..Maybe. Who really knows? Maybe there is not a reason for the maddnes but I think there is. I trust in a higher power that I believe does give us what we truly need and are asking for...just perhaps not in the exact form we ask for but sometimes surprisingly better.
I decided that for now I will just say yes. I will practice acceptance for where I am and what I am feeling. I will not try to feel happy and grateful when I am not but in all cases I will say yes and thank you for the opportunity to be present right where I am. Because truly saying no is just a fallacy. By saying no we just build that resistance that blocks that flow of energy that allows us clarity, intuition and peace.
We can practice this acceptance in our yoga practice when we embrace our limitations and our current abilities. Not that we do not all desire to put our foot behind our head or perform handstand in the middle of the room but what if we just say...I am in this body today and this body most likely will not pop into handstand or foot behind the head but maybe tomorrow and then again maybe never. I accept my body as it is given to me...today!
Acceptance is not easy but if we want to be real with life and ourselves..acceptance is the root of it all. It our being at the core in whatever shape, state or presence we find it. Saying yes takes a lot less effort that pushing against that imaginary door that holding us hostage.
"You can be fully satisfied with where you are, understanding that you’re eternally evolving. When you get into that place of feeling appreciation of where you are and of who you are, and appreciation of what you are, and you accept that you are a never-ending, always unfolding Being, then you can stand in that delicate balance of being optimistic about what is to come, without being unhappy about where you stand. Find a way of eagerly anticipating future changes, while at the same time you are in love and satisfied with who, what, where and how you be."
-Abraham Hicks
If you are of of those rare and fortunate people who already experience your body as perfect exactly as it is, with all its foibles and strengths, then you already embraced the lesson of acceptance and can fast forward to the next lesson. However, if any small part of you believes that you would be happier if you were thinner, taller, larger, firmer, blonder, stronger, or some other physical alteration you think would magically transform your life for the better, then you might want to spend some time learning about the value of true acceptance.
"Acceptance is the act of embracing what life presents to you with a good attitude. Our bodies are among the most willing and wise teachers of this lesson. It can be like an ever-present benevolent guide or a lifelong cross you bear. The decision is yours based on how well you learn this lesson.
For many people, their body is the target for their harshest judgment and the barometer by which they measure their self worth. They hold themselves up to an unattainable standard and berate themselves for coming up short of perfection. Since your physical shape is the form in which you show up in the world, it is very often the way you define yourself, and often the way others define you."
Andrew Adler
Eccentric Exercise Part Two
Part two..
By Dr. Peter Borten, LAc, DAOM, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at The Dragontree Spa and Creator of Imbue Pain Relief Patch
In my earlier post on eccentric exercise, I covered the basics of what eccentric exercise is, how it differs from concentric exercise, and its unique benefits. In a nutshell, the concentric phase of an exercise is where you are working to shorten (contract) a muscle. An example is, when doing a curl with a dumbbell, you start with your arm hanging down and then you bend at the elbow, bringing the weight toward your shoulder. This is concentric contraction – the phase, in nearly all exercise, that we tend to focus on. When you let the weight down again, this is the eccentric phase. The exercise part of eccentric exercise occurs by resisting allowing the muscle to lengthen. Rather than letting your arm and the weight come crashing down, you work in this phase to slow down the lengthening of the muscle, and the more emphasis you put on this, the greater your eccentric workout. The eccentric phase is often neglected, yet it’s just as important as the concentric phase.
Now, let’s look at some of the ways to make eccentric exercise work for you.
The easiest way to emphasize the eccentric phase of an exercise is to simply perform this part of the exercise slowly. If you want to focus on eccentric contraction of the chest, for instance, you could raise yourself into a pushup and then lower yourself back to the floor over a nice slow period of about 8 seconds. If that’s very easy for you, work up to 20 – 30 seconds. If you’re doing sit-ups, instead of focusing entirely on the sitting up part, and dropping back down quickly, you can spend 8 seconds on the lowering phase of each sit-up. Likewise, if that’s too easy, lengthen it to 20 – 30 seconds.
You can lower more weight through eccentric contraction than you can lift with concentric contraction, but you usually need to do a concentric contraction to set yourself up for an eccentric contraction. If, for instance, you want to emphasize the eccentric phase of a pushup (that is, lowering your body), how do you lower more weight than you lift? The easiest way is to use both arms to push yourself up, and then transfer all the weight one arm and lower yourself. However, it’s only safe if you can lower the weight (your body, in this case) in a controlled manner. Only those in great shape can lower their body from a pushup with just one arm in a slow and controlled manner. So, an easier modification would be to do the pushup against a wall, stepping far enough away from the wall to make it difficult to lower yourself slowly with one arm, but not so far away that you can’t lower yourself slowly and with good form.
Another upper body exercise well suited to emphasizing the eccentric phase is pull-ups. Even if you can’t pull yourself up to the bar, you can use a stool to get yourself up and then let yourself drop very slowly. Again, you can start at around 6 – 8 seconds, and make it longer over time if you’re able to do more than about 10 in a row. You can also strap weights around your waist to make it even more difficult. If you go to a gym that has an assisted pull-up machine, you can use it to help you up to the bar (if you’re not strong enough to do the concentric phase) and then flip the footpad out of the way so you can lower yourself without assistance.
Squats can be a great lower body eccentric exercise. Just lower yourself as slowly as you can. If you have friends to help you, you can add weight on your waist or shoulders and they can help you stand up each time (if it’s more weight than you can lift concentrically). Another way to do this is to have a grab bar or rope to help you straighten up. But even without extra weight, you can just slow down the eccentric phase, so that it eventually takes you 20 seconds or more to drop to a squat.
Eccentric workouts are best done using compound exercises as opposed to isolation exercises. Isolation exercises involve just one joint and isolate a single muscle group. Examples include biceps curls (especially on a machine), leg extensions on a machine, and triceps presses (“kickbacks”). Compound exercises involve multiple muscles and joints. Examples include push-ups / bench presses, overhead presses (lifting a weight up above the head), dead lifts, pull-ups, dips, and squats. Besides being well suited to eccentric emphasis, compound exercises tone the body in a much more comprehensive way than isolation exercises do (I’ll discuss this more in a future blog).
Go forth and be eccentric! But don’t overdo it. As with any exercise regimen, good form and knowing your limits are everything. Check with your doctor for guidance before beginning. It’s not hard to injure yourself by being overly ambitious with this kind of exercise. Warm up, take it slow and listen to your body.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
By Dr. Peter Borten, LAc, DAOM, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at The Dragontree Spa and Creator of Imbue Pain Relief Patch
In my earlier post on eccentric exercise, I covered the basics of what eccentric exercise is, how it differs from concentric exercise, and its unique benefits. In a nutshell, the concentric phase of an exercise is where you are working to shorten (contract) a muscle. An example is, when doing a curl with a dumbbell, you start with your arm hanging down and then you bend at the elbow, bringing the weight toward your shoulder. This is concentric contraction – the phase, in nearly all exercise, that we tend to focus on. When you let the weight down again, this is the eccentric phase. The exercise part of eccentric exercise occurs by resisting allowing the muscle to lengthen. Rather than letting your arm and the weight come crashing down, you work in this phase to slow down the lengthening of the muscle, and the more emphasis you put on this, the greater your eccentric workout. The eccentric phase is often neglected, yet it’s just as important as the concentric phase.
Now, let’s look at some of the ways to make eccentric exercise work for you.
The easiest way to emphasize the eccentric phase of an exercise is to simply perform this part of the exercise slowly. If you want to focus on eccentric contraction of the chest, for instance, you could raise yourself into a pushup and then lower yourself back to the floor over a nice slow period of about 8 seconds. If that’s very easy for you, work up to 20 – 30 seconds. If you’re doing sit-ups, instead of focusing entirely on the sitting up part, and dropping back down quickly, you can spend 8 seconds on the lowering phase of each sit-up. Likewise, if that’s too easy, lengthen it to 20 – 30 seconds.
You can lower more weight through eccentric contraction than you can lift with concentric contraction, but you usually need to do a concentric contraction to set yourself up for an eccentric contraction. If, for instance, you want to emphasize the eccentric phase of a pushup (that is, lowering your body), how do you lower more weight than you lift? The easiest way is to use both arms to push yourself up, and then transfer all the weight one arm and lower yourself. However, it’s only safe if you can lower the weight (your body, in this case) in a controlled manner. Only those in great shape can lower their body from a pushup with just one arm in a slow and controlled manner. So, an easier modification would be to do the pushup against a wall, stepping far enough away from the wall to make it difficult to lower yourself slowly with one arm, but not so far away that you can’t lower yourself slowly and with good form.
Another upper body exercise well suited to emphasizing the eccentric phase is pull-ups. Even if you can’t pull yourself up to the bar, you can use a stool to get yourself up and then let yourself drop very slowly. Again, you can start at around 6 – 8 seconds, and make it longer over time if you’re able to do more than about 10 in a row. You can also strap weights around your waist to make it even more difficult. If you go to a gym that has an assisted pull-up machine, you can use it to help you up to the bar (if you’re not strong enough to do the concentric phase) and then flip the footpad out of the way so you can lower yourself without assistance.
Squats can be a great lower body eccentric exercise. Just lower yourself as slowly as you can. If you have friends to help you, you can add weight on your waist or shoulders and they can help you stand up each time (if it’s more weight than you can lift concentrically). Another way to do this is to have a grab bar or rope to help you straighten up. But even without extra weight, you can just slow down the eccentric phase, so that it eventually takes you 20 seconds or more to drop to a squat.
Eccentric workouts are best done using compound exercises as opposed to isolation exercises. Isolation exercises involve just one joint and isolate a single muscle group. Examples include biceps curls (especially on a machine), leg extensions on a machine, and triceps presses (“kickbacks”). Compound exercises involve multiple muscles and joints. Examples include push-ups / bench presses, overhead presses (lifting a weight up above the head), dead lifts, pull-ups, dips, and squats. Besides being well suited to eccentric emphasis, compound exercises tone the body in a much more comprehensive way than isolation exercises do (I’ll discuss this more in a future blog).
Go forth and be eccentric! But don’t overdo it. As with any exercise regimen, good form and knowing your limits are everything. Check with your doctor for guidance before beginning. It’s not hard to injure yourself by being overly ambitious with this kind of exercise. Warm up, take it slow and listen to your body.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
How to Be More Eccentric
This is an interesting article about the different types of movements. This applies to those of you that lift weights...
As early as I can remember doing weight bearing exercise, I nearly always emphasized the “pushing” or contractive part of the movement. If I was doing a push-up, my effort was on pushing myself off the floor. Then I quickly lowered myself and began the next one. If I was doing a sit-up, my effort was on sitting up; then I’d drop back to the floor. If I was doing curls with dumbbells, I was focused on raising the weight, bringing by hand toward my shoulder. After each curl, I’d let my arm drop without much restraint, and then start the next rep. This type of exercise focuses on what’s called the concentric aspect of muscle work – the part where muscle fibers are shortening.
There’s another kind of work that our muscles do in exercise, which is to restrain the re-lengthening of the muscle after a contraction. This is called eccentric (“ek-sentrik,”) exercise, and it has unique benefits and even some advantages over concentric exercise. In the three examples in the previous paragraph – pushups, sit-ups, and curls – the part of the exercise I wasn’t paying attention to (lowering my body in the push-ups and sit-ups, and lowering my forearm in the curls) was the eccentric phase.
In studies comparing strength and muscle mass gains between concentric-only and eccentric-only exercise, the two forms produced about equal results. [1] The main difference was that participants found eccentric exercise easier to do. One study, published in January 2011, found that women who did 30 minutes of eccentric exercise per week experienced an improvement in their Resting Energy Expenditure – a measure of how many calories the body burns in a 24 hour period while resting – and their fat oxidation – the breakdown of fat into energy. [3]
Because it’s so much easier to do eccentric exercise versus concentric, many studies utilized considerably more weight for the eccentric phase than the participants could possibly lift concentrically. For example, if a 100 pound barbell is the most weight you could press off your chest, it’s likely that you could (eccentrically) lower 120 pounds or more to your chest.
However, because of the heavier loading and high number of reps certain studies have employed, some researchers have concluded that eccentric exercise has a greater potential for muscle damage than concentric exercise. In a small percentage of cases, the muscle damage resulting from very intense, high-force eccentric exercise has been severe enough to flood the blood stream with muscle tissue particles that are toxic to the kidneys (a dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis). These studies also demonstrated the potential for prolonged muscle weakness and severe swelling. [2] However, this is quite unusual, and not to be expected with regular exercise programs.
Intense eccentric exercise tends to produce significant muscle soreness, and possibly weakness and reduced range of motion, beginning about 24 hours later. However, in a paper by Priscilla Clarkson, PhD, of the Department of Exercise Science at my alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she states, “The damage that is induced by these exercises is completely repairable in a short amount of time.” Clarkson states that even after high-force eccentric exercise, within 7 to 10 days, muscle function is fully recovered. Furthermore, “ the damage also results in an adaptation in the muscle making it more resistant to damage from subsequent strenuous exercise.” In subsequent bouts of high-force eccentric exercise, study participants experienced better performance, quicker recovery, less muscle damage, and less soreness afterwards. [1]
Luckily, even if you stay on the safe side, and engage only in moderate eccentric exercise that produces little muscle damage, this “training effect” still occurs. No such adaptation occurs with concentric training. [1]
So, what do you do with this information? The simplest and most immediate way to apply this research to your fitness regimen is to start placing equal emphasis on the concentric and eccentric phases of the exercises you do. Don’t switch to only eccentric training, because eccentric and concentric exercises benefit us in slightly different ways. A balance is best. Spend just as much time on the eccentric phase as you do on the concentric. As a starting point, I recommend 3 seconds on each phase for each rep. For example, if you’re doing a pushup, that means it should take you 3 seconds to go up and 3 seconds to go down.
Later I’ll write more about how to increase the weight for the eccentric phase and some of the interesting uses of eccentric contraction to treat injuries.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
As early as I can remember doing weight bearing exercise, I nearly always emphasized the “pushing” or contractive part of the movement. If I was doing a push-up, my effort was on pushing myself off the floor. Then I quickly lowered myself and began the next one. If I was doing a sit-up, my effort was on sitting up; then I’d drop back to the floor. If I was doing curls with dumbbells, I was focused on raising the weight, bringing by hand toward my shoulder. After each curl, I’d let my arm drop without much restraint, and then start the next rep. This type of exercise focuses on what’s called the concentric aspect of muscle work – the part where muscle fibers are shortening.
There’s another kind of work that our muscles do in exercise, which is to restrain the re-lengthening of the muscle after a contraction. This is called eccentric (“ek-sentrik,”) exercise, and it has unique benefits and even some advantages over concentric exercise. In the three examples in the previous paragraph – pushups, sit-ups, and curls – the part of the exercise I wasn’t paying attention to (lowering my body in the push-ups and sit-ups, and lowering my forearm in the curls) was the eccentric phase.
In studies comparing strength and muscle mass gains between concentric-only and eccentric-only exercise, the two forms produced about equal results. [1] The main difference was that participants found eccentric exercise easier to do. One study, published in January 2011, found that women who did 30 minutes of eccentric exercise per week experienced an improvement in their Resting Energy Expenditure – a measure of how many calories the body burns in a 24 hour period while resting – and their fat oxidation – the breakdown of fat into energy. [3]
Because it’s so much easier to do eccentric exercise versus concentric, many studies utilized considerably more weight for the eccentric phase than the participants could possibly lift concentrically. For example, if a 100 pound barbell is the most weight you could press off your chest, it’s likely that you could (eccentrically) lower 120 pounds or more to your chest.
However, because of the heavier loading and high number of reps certain studies have employed, some researchers have concluded that eccentric exercise has a greater potential for muscle damage than concentric exercise. In a small percentage of cases, the muscle damage resulting from very intense, high-force eccentric exercise has been severe enough to flood the blood stream with muscle tissue particles that are toxic to the kidneys (a dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis). These studies also demonstrated the potential for prolonged muscle weakness and severe swelling. [2] However, this is quite unusual, and not to be expected with regular exercise programs.
Intense eccentric exercise tends to produce significant muscle soreness, and possibly weakness and reduced range of motion, beginning about 24 hours later. However, in a paper by Priscilla Clarkson, PhD, of the Department of Exercise Science at my alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she states, “The damage that is induced by these exercises is completely repairable in a short amount of time.” Clarkson states that even after high-force eccentric exercise, within 7 to 10 days, muscle function is fully recovered. Furthermore, “ the damage also results in an adaptation in the muscle making it more resistant to damage from subsequent strenuous exercise.” In subsequent bouts of high-force eccentric exercise, study participants experienced better performance, quicker recovery, less muscle damage, and less soreness afterwards. [1]
Luckily, even if you stay on the safe side, and engage only in moderate eccentric exercise that produces little muscle damage, this “training effect” still occurs. No such adaptation occurs with concentric training. [1]
So, what do you do with this information? The simplest and most immediate way to apply this research to your fitness regimen is to start placing equal emphasis on the concentric and eccentric phases of the exercises you do. Don’t switch to only eccentric training, because eccentric and concentric exercises benefit us in slightly different ways. A balance is best. Spend just as much time on the eccentric phase as you do on the concentric. As a starting point, I recommend 3 seconds on each phase for each rep. For example, if you’re doing a pushup, that means it should take you 3 seconds to go up and 3 seconds to go down.
Later I’ll write more about how to increase the weight for the eccentric phase and some of the interesting uses of eccentric contraction to treat injuries.
Be well,
Dr. Peter Borten
Kale and Quinoa Salad
For the Quinoa:
Boil together with low sodium chicken broth, the juice of one lemon, a pinch of kosher salt and cracked pepper (ratio is 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa) 2 cups chicken broth for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.
For the Kale:
Finely chop raw kale, spinach, or chard
1 medium red onion
Dried cranberries about 1/4 cup
Sunflower seeds or toasted pine nuts about 1/8 cup
For the dressing:
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
Honey, salt and pepper to taste
Whisk with olive or canola oil to make vinegrette (about 1/4 cup)
Mix all salad ingredients and quinoa. Add dressing and parmesan or romano cheese
Toss together and serve immediately
Boil together with low sodium chicken broth, the juice of one lemon, a pinch of kosher salt and cracked pepper (ratio is 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa) 2 cups chicken broth for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.
For the Kale:
Finely chop raw kale, spinach, or chard
1 medium red onion
Dried cranberries about 1/4 cup
Sunflower seeds or toasted pine nuts about 1/8 cup
For the dressing:
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
Honey, salt and pepper to taste
Whisk with olive or canola oil to make vinegrette (about 1/4 cup)
Mix all salad ingredients and quinoa. Add dressing and parmesan or romano cheese
Toss together and serve immediately
Friday, February 3, 2012
Principles Everyone Should Know for Managing Pain, Part Four
by Dr. Peter Borten, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at The Dragontree
I believe the impact of stress on our health – unlike, say, smoking – seems kind of vague to most people. We all know it feels better to be relaxed than stressed, but it’s uncommon for us to have a thought as linear as “my health declines when I’m stressed” or “I need to lower my stress level in order to get over this health problem.” The truth is, stress can degrade our health and quality of life to a degree that is sometimes profound. In this article, I’ll explain how this occurs – especially in relation to pain. If you missed the previous three installments in this series, you can read by clicking the link in the article title.
Stress and Pain
Stress contributes to pain through several mechanisms. On a physiological level, stress plays a significant role in the development of inflammation. Stress raises our blood pressure, causing microscopic tears and pits in the lining of our blood vessels, which activates the body's inflammatory responses. These events also contribute to thickening of the blood through the presence of cholesterol (which the body sends in as a response to the vessel damage, sort of like caulk), elevated blood sugar, immune cells, and stickier platelets (the blood cells that form clots). This process makes the body less efficient at both the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to our cells and the removal of cellular debris, factor that perpetuate inflammation and pain. From the Chinese medical model we began with, it's easy to see how this process is a form of stagnation, which ultimately results in pain and/or reduced function.
Next, stress contributes to pain by depleting us. Chronic stress means long-term engagement of various body systems – particularly the nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and immune system – in a way that demands energy, plain and simple. In a depleted state, the body is less effective at managing this pain (and the many related mechanisms discussed in the previous paragraph), so the cycle continues.
In addition, the more tired, stressed, and achy we get, the less likely we are to do any of the things that might help end this cycle. It is easy to see how stress contributes to pain indirectly by influencing our lifestyle. It supports poor eating habits (we tend not to take the time to cook a good meal for ourselves when we're stressed or in pain, but instead grab what's easy and less nutritious). It degrades the quality and duration of our sleep (which means less of the much-needed relaxation, repair, and replenishment that occur in sleep). It makes us more likely to forget to drink enough water, to stretch, to maintain good posture, to exercise, and to respect our limits throughout the day. And it leads us to deprioritize "soul nourishing" activities that are proven to reduce pain and inflammation, such as playing, spending time with loved ones, sharing affection, partaking in a spiritual practice, and helping our community. If you are in pain, it is vital that you start doing these things. Just take baby steps if that’s all you’re capable of. Fight to get your life back.
Looking at the mind-body continuum, stress contributes to pain because stress is resistance, resistance is stagnation, and stagnation hurts. (Due to our varying capacities to perceive pain, stagnation isn't always perceptible as pain [yet!], but once there is pain, there must be stagnation.) This may sound a little New Agey, but please bear with me.
When we are stressed, there is something about our circumstances that we are resisting - too much to do, not enough time, being underpaid, things moving too fast, feeling out of control or unsafe, disliking someone, feeling others don't approve of us or respect us, etc. By definition, it is a stress on us because of our resistance. (Certain situations may be positive stressors or eustressors if we feel capable of managing them and/or feel a sense of challenge at taking them on, like getting married or playing sports. Our mindset is the key. Generally speaking, these events have less potential to deplete us, and, indeed, often make us stronger. But even positive stress can become negative stress when we push too hard and exceed our means.)
The resistance that occurs when we are stressed – which is like clenching, bracing, or tightening up – inhibits the flow of life. I mean this both physically and figuratively. Both our muscles and our mind become rigid and inflexible. Conversely, when we let go of this resistance (which essentially means accepting the reality of our circumstances), things begin to flow freely again, pain dissipates, and a sense of ease and flexibility returns.
You may not be able in this moment to entirely relinquish your resistance to everything about your life that isn't quite the way you want it to be, but it's a task worth committing yourself to. It begins with the recognition that your resistance itself never contributes productively to improving the situation. It only drains our energy and makes us uncomfortable. Why not take a deep breath right now and let go of whatever tension you’re carrying around? Now keep doing this, all the time, for the rest of your life. Remember.
Good luck and be well!
Peter
I believe the impact of stress on our health – unlike, say, smoking – seems kind of vague to most people. We all know it feels better to be relaxed than stressed, but it’s uncommon for us to have a thought as linear as “my health declines when I’m stressed” or “I need to lower my stress level in order to get over this health problem.” The truth is, stress can degrade our health and quality of life to a degree that is sometimes profound. In this article, I’ll explain how this occurs – especially in relation to pain. If you missed the previous three installments in this series, you can read by clicking the link in the article title.
Stress and Pain
Stress contributes to pain through several mechanisms. On a physiological level, stress plays a significant role in the development of inflammation. Stress raises our blood pressure, causing microscopic tears and pits in the lining of our blood vessels, which activates the body's inflammatory responses. These events also contribute to thickening of the blood through the presence of cholesterol (which the body sends in as a response to the vessel damage, sort of like caulk), elevated blood sugar, immune cells, and stickier platelets (the blood cells that form clots). This process makes the body less efficient at both the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to our cells and the removal of cellular debris, factor that perpetuate inflammation and pain. From the Chinese medical model we began with, it's easy to see how this process is a form of stagnation, which ultimately results in pain and/or reduced function.
Next, stress contributes to pain by depleting us. Chronic stress means long-term engagement of various body systems – particularly the nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and immune system – in a way that demands energy, plain and simple. In a depleted state, the body is less effective at managing this pain (and the many related mechanisms discussed in the previous paragraph), so the cycle continues.
In addition, the more tired, stressed, and achy we get, the less likely we are to do any of the things that might help end this cycle. It is easy to see how stress contributes to pain indirectly by influencing our lifestyle. It supports poor eating habits (we tend not to take the time to cook a good meal for ourselves when we're stressed or in pain, but instead grab what's easy and less nutritious). It degrades the quality and duration of our sleep (which means less of the much-needed relaxation, repair, and replenishment that occur in sleep). It makes us more likely to forget to drink enough water, to stretch, to maintain good posture, to exercise, and to respect our limits throughout the day. And it leads us to deprioritize "soul nourishing" activities that are proven to reduce pain and inflammation, such as playing, spending time with loved ones, sharing affection, partaking in a spiritual practice, and helping our community. If you are in pain, it is vital that you start doing these things. Just take baby steps if that’s all you’re capable of. Fight to get your life back.
Looking at the mind-body continuum, stress contributes to pain because stress is resistance, resistance is stagnation, and stagnation hurts. (Due to our varying capacities to perceive pain, stagnation isn't always perceptible as pain [yet!], but once there is pain, there must be stagnation.) This may sound a little New Agey, but please bear with me.
When we are stressed, there is something about our circumstances that we are resisting - too much to do, not enough time, being underpaid, things moving too fast, feeling out of control or unsafe, disliking someone, feeling others don't approve of us or respect us, etc. By definition, it is a stress on us because of our resistance. (Certain situations may be positive stressors or eustressors if we feel capable of managing them and/or feel a sense of challenge at taking them on, like getting married or playing sports. Our mindset is the key. Generally speaking, these events have less potential to deplete us, and, indeed, often make us stronger. But even positive stress can become negative stress when we push too hard and exceed our means.)
The resistance that occurs when we are stressed – which is like clenching, bracing, or tightening up – inhibits the flow of life. I mean this both physically and figuratively. Both our muscles and our mind become rigid and inflexible. Conversely, when we let go of this resistance (which essentially means accepting the reality of our circumstances), things begin to flow freely again, pain dissipates, and a sense of ease and flexibility returns.
You may not be able in this moment to entirely relinquish your resistance to everything about your life that isn't quite the way you want it to be, but it's a task worth committing yourself to. It begins with the recognition that your resistance itself never contributes productively to improving the situation. It only drains our energy and makes us uncomfortable. Why not take a deep breath right now and let go of whatever tension you’re carrying around? Now keep doing this, all the time, for the rest of your life. Remember.
Good luck and be well!
Peter
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cool quote
Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, "You owe me."
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights the whole sky.
~Hafiz
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights the whole sky.
~Hafiz
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