Archive for December, 2010

The Best Back Exercises

December 31st, 2010
Peter Curtis asked:




If you have a back injury, you are going to be in a lot of pain. I once fell down the stairs at work and ended up with a back spasm that would not go away. I had no idea that something so simple could be so painful. I ignored the pain at first, but it got to be so bad that I had to finally give in and go to the doctor. He told me that I was lucky that I had come in when I did because it was not the type of injury that was known to go away on its own right away. He had to do a few things to my back, and he gave me a list of back exercises to do to help strengthen the muscles.

The muscles in my back locked up into a spasm and would not loosen up. They were holding my spine out of place, and those things combine were causing my pain. I had my back put into place a few times with the help of some muscle relaxants and a good chiropractor, and then I had to do the back exercises. One I found out what was wrong and how to fix it I was feeling much better within two weeks. The back exercises were rather simple, and they really seemed to help.

Sometimes when we exercise we forget about doing back exercises. We concentrate on other areas and the muscles in our back are not what they should be. That might be why so many people have problem with their back going out. If you do back exercises, you are going to have a strong foundation to keep your spine in place when you injure your back, or bounce down the stairs like I did. You don’t have to make them a priority when you exercise, but you do have to do them.

However, if you have a good all around workout program, you may already be doing plenty of back exercises without knowing it. A good all over program will have you covered. If you are worried that you are not doing enough back exercises, look some up online to see what you can add to your routine. Though they will not keep your back from getting injured in all cases, they can help lessen the severity of something if it happens. The smaller injuries can be avoided altogether.

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Improve Your Sleep With Qigong and Yoga

December 31st, 2010
Glenda Sparling asked:




One in three spend hours tossing and turning when they are supposed to be sleeping.  Are you one of them?  The numbers are increasing of how many people experience some type of insomnia or sleep challenge at some point in their lives.  And whether it is an accute or chronic disturbance, both yoga and qigong can help still the mind and the nervous system in preparation for natural sleep.

Good news!   Only 10 easy minutes of yoga or qigong can really assist in this process of emptying the mind of the stresses of the day and the mind chatter that often riddles you at night. 

Most everyone know even a little about yoga, but frequently, less is understood about qigong.  Here’s a quick primer.

Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is a series of ancient Chinese exercises that use breathing and visualization to improve all areas of our mental, physical and spiritual health including our sleep.  It is an wonderful stress reducer. 

These days it is widely accepted that Chinese medicine has much to offer that our traditional western medicine does not.  Many physicians in the west are now recommending Qigong to their patients, as a complementary adjunct to traditional western treatment. 

Qigong allows the body to repair itself by putting the body’s yin and yang energy into balance.  It is gentle and relaxing and very simple to learn and practice.  Even consistently practicing for ten minutes a day provides benefits, as you will find yourself feeling more peaceful and relaxed.

There are several ways Qigong can help you sleep soundly and more peacefully.  It’s an excellent “stress reducer”.   And it is so easy to learn and simple to practice, it is quite easy to set aside a few minutes prior to bed time to perform this relaxing routine.

Stress reduction is an spontaneous benefit of practicing Qigong and in furthermore there are other benefits.  Qigong may be practiced standing, sitting, lying down or walking, therefore, for those of you that have trouble sleeping due to chronic pain, even back pain, Qigong can help here as well.  Perhaps stress, anxiety or depression presents reasons for your sleeplessness.  If so, Qigong can help.  It will balance the body’s energy system and gently aid the self-healing of virtually any complaint.

The simple movements of qigong are often easier to perform than the postures and stances in yoga.  There are many books and resources available to get you started with your qigong routine.  The following are 2 easy Qigong movements.

Stance #1

Bring your palms facing toward one another in front of your stomach (as if you were holding a ball). 

As you inhale, move your hands upward in a semi-circular motion in-between the level of your stomach and your chin.  As you exhale, move your hands downward in a semi-circular motion from your chin level to your stomach level.  This helps to detoxify your liver.  (Repeat 1 – 5 minutes.)

Stance #2

Bring your hands towards the stomach. Position your right hand above your left hand, about 6” apart with palms facing one another.  Move your right hand above your heart with your palm facing down.  The left hand is below your heart, and your palm is facing upward.  As you inhale, move your hands apart, when you exhale bring your palms closer.  Repeat motion numerous times, then change arm position so that left hand is on top, and right hand is lower. (Repeat 1 – 5 minutes.)

For those of you who prefer yoga, I recommend you try the following postures that may soothe your jangled nerves and ease you into dreamland.  Both are VERY easy to do even for non-yoga devotees.

Child’s Pose

This is a very simple resting pose that often elicits the natural feeling of total relaxation.  Do you remember when you were a kid and tired from playing?  It was so natural to put your head down and simply relax.  You can do this on the floor or on your bed.  Simply sit down with your legs underneath you, meaning your shins are flat on the floor or bed.  Your buttocks are resting on the heels of your feet.   Knees are open about shoulder width apart.  Then simply fold forward and rest your head on a pillow (or the floor).  Your arms can be extended up beside your ears or resting by your hips.  Hold this position for about 1 – 2 minutes.  Take easy relaxing breaths, while thinking ‘calm’ and ‘relax’.

Legs Up the Wall (and heart above your head)

You’ll need a folded blanket or large pillow under your hips.  Find a wall space or door face where you can stretch your legs up the wall.  Your back is on the floor, your hips are on the blanket or pillow, and your legs are up the wall.  Once you are in place, simply straighten your legs so that your heels rest on the wall.  Make sure the blanket or pillow is thick enough to support your hips/weight, so that you are not stressing and straining to hold this position.  It’s great to cover your eyes with a sleep mask or lavender/flax filled mask that helps to relief the tension in the tiny muscles surrounding your eyes.  Hold this position for about 5 minutes.  Having your legs upright and your heart slightly elevated above your head level really helps to cool and calm your nervous system.

As always, I wish you improved sleep!



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Hiccups – Causes and Treatment

December 31st, 2010
peterhutch asked:


Hiccups are also called hiccoughs. They are repeated spasms of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a big flat muscle that divides your chest from your abdomen (belly). Most hiccups last less than an hour and are not serious. Sometimes hiccups can last hours to days and keep coming back. These hiccups may be caused by a medical problem. If your hiccups do not go away in 48 hours or they come back often, call your caregiver.

It is thought that a number of specific nerves in the spinal cord at the back of the neck control hiccups. When something triggers these nerves – eating too quickly, for example – a signal is sent to the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm. The diaphragm signals back to the hiccup center and hiccups begin. Within a split second, a structure called the glottis closes off the windpipe, producing the characteristic sound of a hiccup.

Causes

Many conditions are associated with hiccups, but none has been shown to be the cause of hiccups. If you eat too fast, you can swallow air along with your food and end up with a case of the hiccups.Any other practices that might irritate the diaphragm such as eating too much (especially fatty foods) or drinking too much (drunk people hiccup) can make you prone to having hiccups.

Some of the causes of hiccups are as follows. Overstretching the neck, Laryngitis, Heartburn, Irritation of the eardrum, General anesthesia, Surgery, Bloating, Tumor, Infection, Diabetes, Drinking excessive alcohol, Hot and spicy food, Smoking, Eating fast.

Herbal Remedies

Ask the affected person to sit quietly and hold his/her breath or give him/her something to drink.If this is unsuccessful, place a paper bag (not a plastic bag) over the patient’s mouth and nose, and ask the person to breathe in and out.If hiccups persist for more than a few hours, seek medical aid or psychotherapy. Kulatha in the form of a soup or dal is very useful for hiccups.

Everyone has a pet remedy for hiccups. A few tactics do make sense and may be based on physiology as well as folklore. One technique is to increase carbon dioxide levels in the blood, which may decrease the sensitivity of the vagus nerve in the brain. That nerve, one of the longest in the body, sends branches to many muscle groups, including those in the diaphragm.

Numerous home remedies for hiccups exist. The reason that these remedies are thought to work is that carbon dioxide build-up in the blood will stop hiccups, which is what happens when you hold your breath. If the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to the stomach is stimulated, hiccups can also be alleviated (this is what is happening when you drink water or pull on your tongue).

Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is usually the first prescription medication tried for hiccups, although drugs such as baclofen (Lioresal) and medications for convulsions such as phenytoin (Dilantin) have also been successful. Surgery to disable the phrenic nerve (the nerve that controls the diaphragm) is often the treatment of last resort.



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