A home practice of yoga can provide many benefits. It can help maintain the effects of structural integration and other bodywork, help reduce and manage stress, and help manage pain. A few minutes of yoga done several days a week is a worthwhile investment in your overall health.
Read MoreI had lunch with friends today, some whom have plans this year for major life overhauls related to their diet and health. January 1st is a popular time to start new, healthy habits. I’ve done it, myself.
Read MoreI recently read a book called Your Are Not Your Pain by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman. This book is about mindfulness-based pain management. Their organization in England is called Breathworks. They offer online courses and downloads, and sometimes have classes in the US.
Read MoreI’ve mentioned before that Pilates is a useful complement to the Rolf Method of Structural Integration bodywork. Pilates exercises help you strengthen, stabilize and lengthen the body. The method also supports good posture and breathing.
Read MoreI have had several clients recently ask about fascia and Ida Rolf’s theory of how structural integration works. This short video (less than three minutes) provides a good explanation of what fascia does and looks like. Dr. Robert Schleip discusses his research, including that fascia can stretch and contract independently. This sheds light on how fascial issues can contribute to your body’s stiffness and pain. Structural integration may indeed work by softening and stretching fascia to reduce stiffness and improve pain, as Ida Rolf believed.
Read MoreHere are two quotations from a book I’ve mentioned previously. It’s by Mayo Clinic doctor Amit Sood and is called Train Your Brain, Engage Your Heart, Transform Your Life. He calls it a course in Attention and Interpretation Therapy or cultivating heartfulness. More commonly, it’s mindfulness.
Read MoreAt a recent workshop, the instructor shared this insight into our ability to heal in those occasions when a physical issue has an emotional component.
Read MoreActions that you take in your early adulthood and middle age will result in a vibrant old age, according to Dan Buettner (endurance athlete, speaker and author). Here are tips from his latest book, Blue Zone Solution.
Read MoreSeveral months ago, a friend recommended a book called “The Upside of Stress.” I finally picked it up at the library. I learned a number of new ideas on what science says about the role of stress in our lives. Lots of times, and I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit this, I feel stressed about the stress in my life. No need for that! Research shows that embracing stress is the way to go. Here are highlights that I found useful.
Read More