Sep
5
2023

Affirmotion

Contemplation is a good thing, and meditation has been known to spawn great ideas and deep insightfulness, But include MOTION, AFFIRMATIONS AND MUSIC, and it improves meditation in a powerful way!

Unique gentle & easy practice Encompassing Mind, Body and Soul Through Movement, Spoken Words, Affirmations & Music

This DVD has 8 sequences, choreographed movements, inspired words, affirmations and music.

It is simple and easy to do yet powerful as a daily practice. Filmed in magnificent locations.

The spoken words are positive, truthful and beautiful. They leave you feeling deeply connected to your power within, still, alive, warm and energised. Just what you need in this face paced over active world.

They are inline with many current ideas and research i.e. Expressing gratitude, the law of attraction, heart centered feelings, forgiveness, self love and respect and living in the present moment all being highly beneficial to the mind and body.

This DVD is available from: http://www.terrarosa.com.au/yoga/affirmotion.htm


Sep
5
2023

Smooth and integrated movement patterns can help individuals with back pain

Smooth and integrated movement patterns can help individuals with back pain

Many people with back pain do not know what is causing it and they do not receive effective treatment, but learning to move in a more integrated way makes a big difference, reveals research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

“People with long-term back pain often protect themselves by unconsciously limiting their movements,” says physiotherapist Christina Schön-Ohlsson. “Such inefficient movement patterns gradually become habituated even though the original injury or strain is no longer present.”

The answer to the problem is sensory motor learning, where patients are guided to find out how they are moving and how they can free themselves from self-imposed limitations. This process leads patients to develop their bodily awareness and to trust in their bodily sensations again.

In one of the studies 40 patients were randomly divided into two groups to compare experiences of two different types of treatment: exercise therapy and sensory motor learning.

“The patients in the sensory motor learning group said that they had learned to trust in themselves and now felt able to handle their low back pain themselves without seeking further medical help,” says Schön-Ohlsson.

This contrasted with the patients in the exercise group, who expressed insecurity and felt dependent on advice from back-pain experts.

The overall purpose of the thesis was to evaluate how sensory motor learning, which has its roots in the Feldenkrais method, affected patients with long-term back pain who had previously not been helped by any treatment. The patients’ subjectively experienced positive physical and psychological changes coincided with objectively assessed improvements in movement capacity.

Schön-Ohlsson draws the conclusion that sensory motor learning helps patients to learn to listen to their body so that they can take care of their back problems themselves.

Sep
5
2023

The Danger of High Heels

Women are paying the price for fashion in the form of broken bones and sprained ankles, a doctor has warned.

The warm weather has led to a spate of injuries caused by women falling from their high-heeled sandals.

Rupert Evans, an accident and emergency doctor at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff said injuries could lead to long-term problems.

Women should stick to shoes with heels less than 4cm (1.5in) if they wanted to avoid a trip to hospital, he advised.

Dr Evans said he has seen an increase in the number of women being admitted to hospital with injuries caused by the fashionable footwear.

Injuries ranged from sprained ankles to broken bones and dislocations – and in some cases caused permanent damage.

He estimated that up to half a dozen women were now being admitted to his department with shoe-related injuries on weekend evenings.

Drinking alcohol added to the problem, he said.

“I suspect it’s something to do with the weather we’ve been having.

“Women are dressing differently and a lot of them are coming in with high-heel shoe injuries.”

Sensible shoes

He added that shoes which did not have a back or a strap could cause particular problems.

“Try to have shoes with a strap and keep the heel height down to 4cm (1.5in),” he said.

He said he was not advising that women should stop wearing high heels altogether, but advocating wearing them in moderation.

“There can be serious consequences, but we are not trying to ban them,” he said.

Martin Shalley, president of the British Association for Emergency Medicine said he had not spotted a recent increase, but he reiterated that high heels could definitely lead to serious injuries.

“That is something we see and I have seen a few breaks over the years. Falling off a high heel can cause much more serious injuries.”

He added that Dr Evans’ advice was very reasonable.

“Of course it could be a problem associated with alcohol. Alcohol and heels are a bad mix,” he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5235630.stm

Sep
5
2023

Acupuncture Reduces Pain And Dysfunction In Head And Neck Cancer Patients After Neck Dissection

New data from a randomized, controlled trial found that acupuncture provided significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients after neck dissection. The study was led by David Pfister, MD, Chief of the Head and Neck Medical Oncology Service, and Barrie Cassileth, PhD, Chief of the Integrative Medicine Service, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Dr. Pfister presented the findings May 30 at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.

Neck dissection is a common procedure for treatment of head and neck cancer. There are different types of neck dissection, which vary based on which structures are removed and the anticipated side effects. One type — the radical neck dissection — involves complete removal of lymph nodes from one side of the neck, the muscle that helps turn the head, a major vein, and a nerve that is critical to full range of motion for the arm and shoulder.

“Chronic pain and shoulder mobility problems are common after such surgery, adversely affecting quality of life as well as employability for certain occupations,” said Dr. Pfister. Nerve-sparing and other modified radical techniques that preserve certain structures without compromising disease control reduce the incidence of these problems but do not eliminate them entirely. Dr. Pfister adds, “Unfortunately, available conventional methods of treatment for pain and dysfunction following neck surgery often have limited benefits, leaving much room for improvement.”

Seventy patients participated in the study and were randomized to receive either acupuncture or usual care, which includes recommendations of physical therapy exercises and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. For all of the patients, at least three months had elapsed since their surgery and radiation treatments. The treatment group received four sessions of acupuncture over the course of approximately four weeks. Both groups were evaluated using the Constant-Murley scale, a composite measure of pain, function, and activities of daily living.

Pain and mobility improved in 39 percent of the patients receiving acupuncture, compared to a 7 percent improvement in the group that received usual care. An added benefit of acupuncture was significant reduction of reported xerostomia, or extreme dry mouth. This distressing problem, common among cancer patients following radiotherapy in the head and neck, is addressed with only limited success by mainstream means.

“Like any other treatment, acupuncture does not work for everyone, but it can be extraordinarily helpful for many,” said Dr. Cassileth. “It does not treat illness, but acupuncture can control a number of distressing symptoms, such as shortness of breath, anxiety and depression, chronic fatigue, pain, neuropathy, and osteoarthritis.”

“Cancer patients should use acupuncturists who are certified by the national agency, NCCAOM [National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine], and who are trained, or at least experienced, in working with the special symptoms and problems caused by cancer and cancer treatment,” she added.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (2008, May 31). Acupuncture Reduces Pain And Dysfunction In Head And Neck Cancer Patients