January 26, 2010 in Massage Therapy, Wellness, featured by empoweringwellness

The Benefits of Prenatal / Pregnancy Massage

Prenatal / pregnancy massage refers to specific techniques tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women. The goal of the work is similar to traditional massage: stress reduction, reducing aches and pains, improve circulation and provide for overall well-being for both mother and baby.

According to BabyCenter.com, “carrying a baby inside you changes your center of gravity and puts a lot of stress on your back, neck, abdominal muscles, and shoulders. Pregnancy also relaxes your ligaments, so that your pelvic joints are less stable, and changes your posture, pulling your pelvis forward. Add to that the extra weight you’re carrying and you’ve got yourself an aching lower back.”

A prenatal or pregnancy massage is conducted a little differently. As the mother’s belly begins to grow it becomes difficult for her to lie on her stomach. And as the pregnancy progresses, the weight of the uterus can put pressure on the vein that returns blood from your leg to your heart. Therefore, most massage therapists will place their clients in a side-lying position. That is the position I prefer, and I use a series of pillows to prop your head and belly to make sure you are comfortable on the table.

According to MassageTherapy101.com, “Massage has been known to calm many of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy such as sciatica, swelling, back and neck pain, and stomach upset. Prenatal massage has also been shown to improve physical discomforts by encouraging circulation and by stretching the muscles and joints to their full range of motion to improve skin elasticity and body tone. Studies show that pregnant women who receive regular prenatal massages are more at ease – furthermore relaxing the fetus inside their womb.”

You should consult with your doctor if you have any questions, but most people agree that prenatal massage, performed by a certified therapist, brings tremendous benefits to both mother and baby.

January 25, 2010 in Wellness by empoweringwellness

Hold the Salt!

In a report published last week by the University of California, San Francisco, researchers found that shaving 3 grams off the daily salt intake of Americans could prevent up to 66,000 strokes, 99,000 heart attacks and 92,000 deaths in the United States, while saving $24 billion in health costs per year.

Your body needs salt to live. We need salt to maintain a balance of body fluids, to transmit nerve signals, and for muscles to function properly. Our body requires about 500 MG of salt each day. How much is that? About a fifth of a teaspoon. The American Heart Association recommends that you take in no more than 2400 MG of salt per day. How much is that? One teaspoon. That’s it.

But most Americans consume between 4000 – 6000 MG per day. Where is this extra salt coming from? It’s coming from the processed foods that we eat; the pre-packed or canned meals that we buy in supermarkets or meals that we consume from popular restaurant chains.

“The consequences of too much salt are hypertension, or high blood pressure, which increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack,” says Amy Schnabel, MS, RD, Clinical Nutrition Manager at the UCLA Medical Center. Ninety percent of Americans will develop hypertension unless they take steps to prevent it. Two studies reported in the April 19, 2007 issue of the British Medical Journal showed that people who cut back on the amount of salt in their diets by 25-35 percent could reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 25 percent and lower their mortality rates by 20 percent.

“The biggest misconception about sodium intake is that many people think that, by removing the salt shaker from the dinner table, they aren’t eating salt,” adds Schnabel. “What they may not know is that as much as 80 percent of dietary sodium comes from eating out and from packaged and processed foods. The average American consumes 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams of salt per day. It is used for taste, to preserve foods, and provide texture. About 12 percent of the sodium in our diets comes from adding salt and sodium-containing condiments to what we cook and eat. Even some drugs (antacids, for example) have high amount of sodium.

My buddy, David Zinczenko was (author of Eat This, Not That!) was recently on the Today Show where he exposed some of the saltiest restaurant entrees. Here are some of the worst offenders:

P.F. Chang’s Hot and Sour Soup Bowl
o 6,878 mg sodium
o 336 calories
o 12 g fat (2 g saturated)

Sodium Equivalent: 208 saltine crackers

Olive Garden Grilled Shrimp Caprese
o 3,490 mg sodium
o 900 calories
o 41 g fat (17 g saturated)
o 82 g carbs

Sodium Equivalent: 23 individual canisters of Pringles

Arby’s Sausage Gravy Biscuit
o 4,700 mg sodium
o 1,040 calories
o 60 g fat (22 g saturated, 2 g trans)

Sodium Equivalent: 13 large orders of McDonald’s french fries!

Read David’s entire line-up of the Best, and Worst Foods for your Blood Pressure.

And finally, what can you do to reduce your salt intake? Try these tips!

o When eating out, ask that no salt be added to your entree
o At home, use herbs and spices to season your food instead of salt – try Mrs. Dash!
o Remove or reduce salt from recipes whenever possible
o Keep the saltshaker OFF your dining table

January 21, 2010 in Energy Work, Mindfulness and Meditation, Wellness by empoweringwellness

A Simple Exercise to Balance Your Energy

Your body is naturally hard-wired to react to threats in a way that is meant to protect you (think of encountering lions, tigers and bears, oh my!). But your body and your mind may pay the price if your “fight-or-flight” reaction – a natural protective mechanism – is constantly “on.”

Stress today comes from different sources than that of our ancient ancestors. It may come from fighting traffic during the daily rush hour, the rush of getting yourself, your family off to work and school everyday, from pressures related to job and career and managing your workload, and from worry about making ends meet in this difficult economy. And while these daily stresses may not be immediately life-threatening, if left unchecked and uncontrolled, if you allow your body’s natural stress mechanism to be left continuously in the “on” position, you will begin to pay a price over the long haul.

When your body perceives a threat, and is under stress, it releases a combination of nerve and hormonal signals that prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys to release a surge in hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. According to an article from the Mayo Clinic, here’s what happens when these hormones are released:

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies.

Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain’s use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes.

Fortunately, your body’s stress response is usually self-regulating. As the perceived threat goes away, blood pressure returns to normal, adrenal glands stop producing cortisol and adrenaline and your body returns to normal functions.

The problem occurs when levels of stress are constantly present in our lives, even at low levels. When this happens, the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and the other stress hormones begins to create health problems. Such problems include:

o Hypertension
o Heart disease
o Sleep problems
o Over eating, which can lead to weight gain
o Skin problems, rashes, eczema etc.
o Short-term memory loss

So, how do we cope with the stress that is a part of our daily lives? As the woman and primary care-giver in most families, you have to put yourself first. As I am fond of telling my clients, “If you are going to constantly write checks off of your wellness account, we have to put some deposits into the bank from time-to-time!”

It’s all about achieving balance in your life, finding the time you need to maintain your optimum health, while at the same time caring for your loved ones. Some of the things you can do include:

Exercise – finding 30-minutes a day, at least 3-4 times a week doing an activity you enjoy. Walking is a great form of exercise. Remember, exercise isn’t punishment! As human beings, we are meant to move, to walk, to run, to stretch, to jump, to throw. Incorporate simple, joyful activity into your life

Get plenty of sleep – this is one lifestyle factor that you can directly control, not just for yourself, but for your family. Turn off that TV early, and set a goal to get 7-8 hours of rest every night. Your body needs this time to recharge and re-energize

Find time to meditate or use other relaxation techniques – I lead a very busy life, but I’ve mastered the art of the “5-minute meditation!” Ideally, I will find more time each day, but I have also found that taking short, little meditation breaks, as short as 3-5 minutes, really help me become calmer, more grounded, balanced, and focused. Just find a quiet spot, turn off outside distractions like the TV or radio, focus on your breathing, and let your mind find that calm, quiet space it needs

Surround yourself with friends – there are few greater joys in life than good friends. Surround yourself with them and they will help you find comfort

Counseling – Talk therapy really works. If you find that you cannot manage the pressures of your life on your own, please do not be afraid to go out and find a professional that can help you. Start with your doctor and get a referral. If she can’t help, here is a good resource for you.

Finally, here is a simple energy medicine techniques that I think you will find helpful.

Connecting the Central and Governing Meridians

This is a technique that strengthens the Central Median, which will help you stabilize your body’s energy systems, and will help you to center and ground yourself.

1) Stand with your arms loose at your sides, feet comfortably apart
2) Breathe in through your nose, and then out through the mouth several times until you begin to feel a sense of calm taking over your body
3) Place the middle finger of one hand between your eyebrows and the bridge of your nose (this is the point of your third-eye chakra)
4) Place the middle finger of your other hand in your navel
5) Gently press each finger into your skin, pull it gently upward and hold for about 20-30 seconds while continuing to breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth.

You can repeat this technique 2-3 times or until you feel a sense of balance and grounding.

January 20, 2010 in Mindfulness and Meditation, Wellness by empoweringwellness

3 Simple Steps to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

2009 was a rough year for most people. With unemployment hovering around 10 percent, people are genuinely fearful about the economy and their future. Each week, I see more and more clients who suffer from chronic stress. Symptoms are wide ranging, but they include everything from hypertension to back / neck pain to loss of sleep and appetite.

What makes it worse is that in our society, we wear stress like a badge of honor. We work long hours, don’t eat properly, don’t get enough exercise, don’t take time for ourselves, don’t take vacation, and even when we do we remain tethered to our office through our Blackberry, email, voicemail, and text messaging.

If you are a woman with children, it’s even worse. Research shows that women with children have higher levels of stress related hormones in their blood than women without children. Does this mean women without children don’t experience stress? Absolutely not! Stress affects everyone. But, if you have children, it’s particularly important to for you to take steps to reduce the level of stress in your life. You will be in a better frame of mind to help your children and meet the daily challenge of being a parent, once your stress level is reduced.

Chronic stress directly affects your adrenal glands and can compromise your immune system. Stress can suppress the disease fighting functions of white blood cells, making you more susceptible to illness and disease. Although stress increases the rate of your metabolism, the essential nutrients required by your body are not absorbed. As a result, your intestinal tract is often affected, and problems with digestion often occur.

So, what can you do to reduce the amount of stress in your daily life? If you had all the money in the world, you’d probably book a weekend at a fancy spa or resort. For the rest of us, here are 3 Simple (and Affordable) Steps to Reduce Stress and Anxiety.

Focus on Breathing

You don’t have to join a yoga or meditation class to do this. You can do this all in the comfort of your home or even your office. Slow, deep breathing, taking the breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, with your eyes closed is a sure-fired way to reduce the stress response. Here’s how it is done.

- Sit in a comfortable position
- Close your eyes, and slowly inhale through your nose (counting to 5 in your head)
- Let the air out slowly through your mouth (counting to 8 in your head)
- As you breathe, let your belly expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with air
- Keep breathing this way for 1-2 minutes

Practicing this technique several times a day begins to reduce the level of stress and anxiety and helps bring about what cardiologist Herbert Benson called “the relaxation response.”

Movement and Exercise

It’s great if you can afford to belong to a health club or gym. But, if you can’t afford to do that, a 30-minute brisk walk outside will do wonders. Over this past weekend, I did an hour of work in the yard – mowing the lawn, raking leaves and pruning shrubs. I felt great afterwards.

Human beings were designed to move. We are supposed to hunt and gather our food, not sit behind a desk for hours on end. Movement and physical exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. It reduces the level of stress hormones and increases the levels of endorphins, neurotransmitters in our brain that enhances our mood. And physical exercise has the added benefit of helping you stay in shape, and look and feel younger.

Remember, you don’t have to be a member of a gym to enjoy the benefits of exercise. Regular walking in nature is a natural way for you to stay fit and reduce the effects of stress hormones.

Meet Your New Best Friend – Your Bed

Contrary to popular opinion and perception, it seems that Americans may actually be getting enough sleep. In a study released in 2008, Americans average a total of 59 hours a week or about 8.4 hours per night. That is really good news because inadequate rest impairs our ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and moderate our emotions. Without adequate rest, the brain’s ability to function quickly deteriorates. The brain works harder to counteract sleep deprivation effects, but operates less effectively: concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired.

So, what is the secret to a good night’s sleep?

According to FamilyDoctor.org, here are five things you can do to get a good night’s sleep.

* Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, even if you didn’t get enough sleep. This will help train your body to sleep at night.
* Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same thing every night before going to sleep. For example, take a warm bath and then read for 10 minutes every night before going to bed. Soon you’ll connect these activities with sleeping, and doing them will help make you sleepy.
* Use the bedroom only for sleeping or having sex. Don’t eat, talk on the phone or watch TV while you’re in bed.
* Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. If noise is a problem, use a fan to mask the noise or use ear plugs. If you must sleep during the day, hang dark blinds over the windows or wear an eye mask.
* If you’re still awake after trying to fall asleep for 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Sit quietly for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. Do this as many times as you need to until you can fall asleep.

The Bottom Line

Even during these difficult economic times, there are things you can do to help yourself. You don’t have to feel powerless, you can retain control over your lifestyle. And the good news is that none of these things will cost you any money.

January 18, 2010 in Recipes by empoweringwellness

Creating Balance on Your Dinner Plate – Recipe Included!

We all have jobs, families, hobbies, and a million other things that pull us in different directions. Trying to find balance is an ongoing mission for many of us. Creating balance in your life needs to also include creating balance on your dinner plate.

You need to look at food in the same way – with a view towards balance. It would not be beneficial to your body to consume only carbohydrates or only protein; you need to have a good balance of both. A good rule of thumb is to have your calories come from 60% carbohydrates, 25% proteins, and 15% fats in your diet.

We all know about the benefits carbohydrates provide, but protein is just as beneficial to people with active lifestyles. This is because it repairs muscles after strenuously working them. Thus, protein is necessary to help you build on your performance rather than stay stagnant or even decline. All protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids. We need to consume protein as some of these amino acids can only be obtained through the food we eat. Unlike carbohydrates and fat, the body does not store excess amino acids for later use. Therefore if we do not meet our body’s requirements, it will begin to break down the muscle to get the amino acids it needs to function.

Try the recipe below for a unique twist on the traditional meatloaf. These loaves are a good source of protein with some whole grains thrown in to make them healthier. To make this meal complete add some cooked brown rice with fresh lemon zest stirred in and roast some broccoli and cauliflower and top with tahini sauce.

Lamb and Oat Patties

1.25 pound ground lamb
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl making sure to add the brown rice syrup last. Using your hands mix everything together until the ingredients are thoroughly distributed. Form in 4 patties and place on a broiler pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Enjoy!

January 9, 2010 in Mindfulness and Meditation, Wellness by empoweringwellness

Living in the Moment – Understanding Mindfulness

“Mindfulness” is the term that describes the notion of being conscious in the present moment, not allowing your mind to wander into the past or into the future. For many of my clients, it’s difficult for them to be completely present during their bodywork session with me. They may be thinking about the meeting they had earlier in the day, about the list of chores or errands they have to do on the weekend, about the fight they had with their spouse or partner the night before.

We are also conditioned in our society to always be on the go, to cram as much as possible, rushing here and there, trying to multi-task and get as many things done as possible. In fact, the stress that this brings to us is often worn like a badge of honor.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

All we really have is life in this moment, at this exact moment (as you read this!), and this is where our life actually takes place and where we experience life. The past is over — it is in, the past. No amount of regret or guilt can change what has already taken place. The future is just a moment in time when we will be in new “now.” Excessive worry about the future disrupts your ability to live in this moment, to enjoy life in the here and now.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the founder and former Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is also the founder (1979) and former director of its renowned Stress Reduction Clinic and Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has written numerous books and has dedicated his life to to bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. He writes about the seven pillars of mindfulness. And just like the Reiki principles I wrote about, you can empower yourself to make each moment in your life count by following these seven pillars.

Non-Judging – We need to take the position of an impartial witness to your own experience. We need to become aware of the stream of judging and reacting to inner and outer experiences and step back from it. Categorizing events into good and bad or positive and negative lock us into patterns of behavior that usually have no objective basis.

Here’s an exercise for you. Over a 10-minute period of time, observe how much you are preoccupied with liking and disliking what you are experiencing.

Patience – Patience is a form of wisdom and shows our understanding that life has a tendency to unfold in the way that it was meant to. Despite our desires, sometimes we just can’t will things to happen. Being patient means being confident that you are on the right path, and that life will take you to the right place.

A Beginners Mind – This is a mind set that is open to new possibilities. When you adopt a beginners mind, you can look at each event in your life with the wonder and amazement of a child experiencing life for the first time. I am amazed at how my dogs are able to extract the joy of each moment, whether it is chasing a ball, going for a walk, or chasing birds or squirrels in the back yard. Each moment for them is new. When we adopt this position we say to ourselves, “I don’t know everything in life, and I am open to what life as to teach me.”

Trust – This is a hard one! Trust is about having faith in yourself, trusting your intuition, and the inner voice which guides you in making decisions in your life. You guide your own way and you have to believe in yourself. It is impossible to become like somebody else. Your only hope is to become more fully yourself.

Non-striving – We are goal driven, and this attitude has led to advances in science, medicine, technology. But there is a price that we pay for striving too much. We become future-oriented and we focus on the act of “getting somewhere” instead of accepting who we are in the here and now.

Acceptance – This is one of the most important pillars. It means that you accept yourself now, in this moment, no matter what is going on in your life. This gives you the freedom to focus your energy on your healing instead of clouding your mind with judgment and fear.

Letting Go – Letting go of feelings, thoughts and situations — both good and bad — is extremely liberating. When we let go, we free ourselves from the chains of our human suffering and unleash ourselves into the beauty and peacefulness of each life-giving moment.

This is a lot to think about. I know. It also requires work and reconditioning ourselves from patterns of behavior that are common and accepted in our society. But if you try to follow these principles, you will take a step forward to make each moment in your life count. In future posts, I will be writing more about what I think is the most important principle of mindfulness — mindful breathing.