Self bloom this Spring with massageMarch 2021

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Balancing The Body

Rebecca Jones

Reeducate your body and bring balance.

Only thosewho can see theinvisible can dothe impossible-unknown

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Relaxation InnovationsAndrea Moore LMT MA60968028509.795.0165 Voice or text todayrelaxationinnovations.abmp.comamoore@massagetherapy.comInside: Aspire Skin & Wellness

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Balancing The BodyNature's Nutritional Wonder Sleep and Your Skin

For a child wobbling atop a two-wheelbicycle for the first time, getting it toremain upright is a scary challenge. Butonce that child has mastered the art ofbalancing on the bike, the body justremembers what to do. That's the way itis with balance. Our body has lots oftools at its disposal to help us controlour upright posture, and these toolsfunction largely at the subconsciouslevel.

However, when one of those tools failsto work properly, our system of balancecan get out of whack. Problems with ourfeet and neurological conditions, suchas Parkinson's disease, can throw off ourbalance. Eye conditions can rob us ofstereoscopic vision, which helps us

properly locate ourselves in space. And,of course, inner ear problems cangreatly affect our balance.

Many of these balance-affectingconditions are related to aging. In fact,it's estimated that one of every threepeople older than 65 will suffer somekind of fall this year. And half thosepeople will fall again within 12 months.

Bodywork can help. Certain modalitiescan improve and restore balance,particularly through reeducating thebody in the most efficient ways to move.Just like our bodies once learned thebest way to stabilize atop a bicycle, theycan also learn new, better ways tostabilize aging feet and legs. Here's alook at how two bodyworkmodalities--structural integration andthe Feldenkrais Method--may help.

Structural IntegrationJane Elmore, MD, is a championdressage rider, which means she spendsmuch of her day perched atop a1,200-pound prancing horse. Hersafety absolutely depends on keeping her

balance. She's been doing dressage formore than 10 years, but she's found thegreatest success in her sport mostrecently. She credits her improvementto structural integration sessions.

"I just feel so much more secure in thesaddle now," says Elmore, who owns a

Ida Rolf, the founder of Rolfing.

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ranch in Denison, Texas. "They talkabout the rider being a dance partnerwith the horse in dressage. Well, I wasnever a dancer. I was always overweight.But what I find now, in order to havethis horse be able to respond to you, youhave to be subtle in being able to shiftweight from a left seat bone to a rightseat bone, to both seat bones, to rotatein the seat so your shoulders follow thehorse's shoulders. All this is much easierfor me now, simply because I'm muchfreer in my movements."

Structural integration is based on thework of Dr. Ida Rolf, a biochemist whofounded the modality called Rolfing, aswell as the Rolf Institute in Boulder,Colorado, in 1971. Structuralintegration involves manipulating thebody's connective tissue--the fascia--torebalance the body and bring about painrelief from stress and injury.

"Most people come to structuralintegration because they've gotsomething that hurts and can't make itbetter," says Marilyn Beech, pastexecutive director and president of theboard of the International Associationof Structural Integrators. "Butstructural integration isn't really somuch about getting rid of the pain as itis about getting the body lined up again.A lot of times your body is so misalignedyou can't get your center of gravity overyour foot. A lot of structural integratorswork with athletes. It's common thatafterward, they'll feel more coordinated,more efficient in their movements, andthey'll have better balance."

FeldenkraisLike structural integration, theFeldenkrais Method improves balance byteaching individuals to be more aware ofproper movement. Developed byUkrainian-born physicist MosheFeldenkrais, the method stems fromFeldenkrais' study of judo and itsemphasis on perfect balance. Promoterssay the method can help peopleexperiencing pain in the back, neck,shoulders, hips, legs, or knees, but isalso useful for healthy individuals,particularly athletes, who want to movemore freely.

"Unlike physical therapy or occupationaltherapy, Feldenkrais is an educationalprocess," says Denver practitioner SisselRhyme. "It works with the central

nervous system. It's bones to brain."Rhyme typically leads students through asequence of precise movements, eithersitting or lying on the floor, standing,or sitting in a chair. Throughout theprocess, she asks students to think abouthow various positions feel.

"This is intelligent exercise," she says."You have to be a part of it mentally. It'snot like being on the treadmill for 30minutes where it doesn't matter whatyou think about." By increasing theawareness of how it feels to moveproperly, with everything structurallybalanced, students can learn to let go ofold patterns of movement and developnew ones that result in improvedflexibility and coordination.

There are literally hundreds of suchmovement lessons, which vary indifficulty and complexity. Lessons canbe 30-60 minutes long and can be done

in groups or privately with an instructor.The instructor will touch the students,but only gently and noninvasively. It'snot at all painful or strenuous, thoughRhyme reports students may findthemselves exhausted after an hour.Studies have shown that 10 weeks worthof Feldenkrais lessons leads to notableimprovements not just in balance, butalso in the participants' sense ofconfidence in their ability to balance.

Rebecca Jones is a Colorado-based freelancer.Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net.

Cruciferous veggies help ward off disease.

Nature's Nutritional Wonder Cruciferous Vegetables

Sleep and Your SkinShelley Burns

Cruciferous vegetables are powerfulfoods that can help prevent many formsof cancer, reduce existing cancertumors, and aid in the prevention ofheart disease. Broccoli, cabbage,cauliflower, arugula, kale, and Brusselssprouts all contain isothiocyanates--agroup of chemicals that break downcarcinogens in the body, helping tometabolize toxins. Studies show thatpeople who eat two to three servings ofcruciferous vegetables each week lowertheir risk of breast cancer, colon cancer,and lung cancer. A National CancerInstitute study found that eating threehelpings of crucifers a week droppedprostate cancer risk by 50 percent. Thepowerful chemicals in these veggies alsoreduce homocysteine levels, a knownprecursor to heart disease.

Cruciferous vegetables are low incalories and high in fiber and thechromium found in these foods helpsregulate blood sugar and insulinfunction, key factors in keeping diabetesat bay. Even with all the benefits that

crucifers provide, many people refuse toeat them because of their strong taste.But a little creativity can go a long way inmaking these wonderful foods palatable:try cream of broccoli soup, cauliflowerau gratin, stuffed cabbage, or the recipebelow--the possibilities are endless.

Brussels Sprouts For the Meat-and-Potatoes Eater1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, washed, stemstrimmed, and outer leaves removed1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons unsalted butter3 tablespoons cider vinegar1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheeseSalt and pepper, to taste

Thinly slice Brussels sprouts, either in afood processor fitted with a slicingblade, or by hand. Heat a heavy,nonstick skillet. Add olive oil andbutter, swirling the pan so that thebutter melts. Saute sliced Brusselssprouts for 5 minutes. Add cider vinegarand grated Parmesan, stirring briefly toincorporate. Add salt and freshly

ground black pepper to taste. Servesfour--who will all be healthier for it!

We have all encountered a sleeplessnight or two. Upon waking, we look inthe mirror and are traumatized by whatwe see: puffy eyes, dark circles, droopyeyelids, and sallow skin. To add insult toinjury, more wrinkles may be visible dueto tossing and turning. Poor sleep for aprolonged time is a recipe for disaster.There are three hormones affected whenwe don't get adequate amounts of sleep.These are cortisol, growth hormone,and melatonin, and they all have a directeffect on how our skin ages.-Cortisolis our stress response hormone. Whenwe are not sleeping well, we're like abattery that does not have the chance torecharge. Our body identifies this as astressful situation and starts producingcortisol. Like a jolt of caffeine, thisspike in cortisol keeps us moving, but at

a cost. Elevated cortisol levels breakdown collagen, resulting in less skinelasticity.-Growth hormoneis responsible for building muscle,bone, and tissue--including skin. It isone of our antiaging hormones thatreplenishes as we sleep, rehydrating theskin and allowing for cellular repair.-Melatoninis our sleep hormone, and it also plays arole in the immune system. It is asignificant contributor to the functionaland physical integrity of our skin.Without quality sleep, growth hormoneand melatonin are not produced insufficient quantities, while cortisol isoverproduced. The result is overall poorskin condition, including dryness,dullness, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Even how you position your face on yourpillow affects your skin. Sleeping onyour back will avoid the risk of "sleeplines."While there are some over-the-countersupplements to remedy sleeplessness, it'sfar better to eat well, exercise regularly,and develop healthy sleep habits (at leastseven uninterrupted hours every night)to let the body regulate its hormones ina natural way. And don't forget toschedule your massage!

Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine,completed studies at the Canadian College ofNaturopathic Medicine, and has certification incomplementary and integrative medicine fromHarvard University.

Looking forwardto things is halfthe pleasure ofthem-Lucy M.Montgomery

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