Stress, Fish Oil and Sunburn

In the News | 07/02/2013 at 11:45 AM

Today’s Headlines: Stress, Fish Oil, and Sunburn

by The Dr. Oz Show

Feeling Stressed? It’s Probably Harming Your Health: “If you believe stress is affecting your health, you are probably right, a new study concludes, and that perception may increase your risk for heart disease. Researchers studied 7,268 men and women, average age 50 at the start of the project, using periodic questionnaires. There were 352 heart attacks or deaths from coronary disease over the 18 years of the study. The participants rated the effect of stress on their health – none, a little, or a lot – and then researchers controlled for more than 20 variables, including actual stress as measured by psychological tests.” (New York Times)
Fish-Oil Pills Lure Drugmakers Even as Benefits Unproven: “Fish oil has been touted as useful for everything from growing hair to treating clinical depression. Now drug makers are stepping up their promotion of its benefits for treating heart disease. AstraZeneca Plc (AZN), Amarin Corp. (AMRN) and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK) (GSK) are betting the market for prescription fish-oil pills will follow the success of cholesterol-lowering drugs including Lipitor, once the world’s best-selling medicine with revenue of $13 billion a year. Heart disease remains the world’s biggest killer, accounting for 30 percent of global deaths, even as statins and other treatments have become more widely used.” (Bloomberg News)
The Best Ways to Soothe a Painful Sunburn: “Despite people’s best intentions to protect their skin with sunscreen, sunburns sometimes happen. Like other types of burns, sunburns can be extremely painful. They can also trigger a fever and cause an outer layer of skin to slough off, leaving a red and mottled appearance. More serious than an unsightly appearance, sunburn can increase the risk for skin cancer. The culprit is ultraviolet rays from the sun. The injury they cause inflames the skin, leading to increased blood flow that turns the affected area red, explains David Leffell, professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale Medical School. Dr. Leffell shared some tips on what to do once the damage is done.” (Wall Street Journal)



****On a personal note, I have been taking Krill for almost a month and can feel the benefits in texture of my skin.*****

Body Awareness

Articles

Body Awareness

Are We Ships Without Sonar?

By Sean Eads

Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Spring 2002.
Copyright 2003. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

That pain in your jawbone. The ache in your back. Or is it a persistent twinge between your shoulders? Do you pay attention to what your body is telling you? Or do you turn a deaf ear?
"Our bodies often tell us about stress before we consciously perceive it," notes Dr. Matthew McKay, who with Drs. Martha Davis and Elizabeth R. Eshelman co-authored The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook. "Without an awareness of how the body responds to external stimulation, we're like ships without sonar. We're trying to guide our lives without having half of the data necessary to make an informed decision."

According to McKay, while everyone responds differently to adversity, there are certain generalities we can make when it comes to the body and stress. Anxiety, for example, is usually expressed in the shoulders and abdomen; anger, in the jaw, forehead and upper chest; sadness, as a heaviness in the legs.

"It is not unusual that the physical location of pain or discomfort provides vital clues to what kind of stress you're being exposed to long before you're actually aware of it," Davis adds. "Body awareness is a way to deal with stress -- before it overwhelms you -- by becoming a more conscious being. Often we're busy with appointments and schedules. It's important to 'check in' with ourselves during the day, to remind ourselves why we're here."

Several simple exercises can help refine your ability to listen to your body:

- Learning Awareness - Learn the differences between your body and your environment by making deliberate shifts from inner to outer awareness. McKay describes this kind of shifting as a "muscle" that needs to be developed and flexed. Begin by getting comfortable, shutting your eyes and taking stock of your surroundings. How much sensory stimulation have you learned to overlook? Announce out loud everything you can hear or smell or touch. Then shift into your body, following the same pattern. Does your foot itch? Acknowledge it. With this new perception, you will likely find your body is alive with positive and negative sensations. Shuttling back and forth between your internal and external worlds will help you appreciate your individuality and the forces that influence it.

- Body Scanning - "There are several ways to perform body scanning," says McKay. "A typical way is to imagine a band of light moving down your body from head to toe. As it does, imagine it 'scanning' you and stopping when it detects areas of pain or discomfort. Once a tension is discovered, ask yourself why is it there? What caused it? What is my body telling me that I haven't consciously realized?"

- Letting Go - Once pain is detected, let go of it. "Breathe it away," suggests Davis. "Lie down in a comfortable place and continue focusing on your body. When you find areas of pain, exaggerate it a little so you can more clearly feel it. Then take a few deep breaths and exhale the discomfort from your body."

Music Therapy for Stress Relief

[Stress Home Page][Holistic-online Home]

Music Therapy Listening to music does wonders to alleviate stress. Please note that everyone has different tastes in music. Listen to the music that you feel comfortable. Sitting down and forcing yourself to listen to relaxation music that you don't like may create stress, not alleviate it. Music has always been a great healer. In the Bible, we learn about how David played the harp to help ease his severe depression of King Saul .  Music is a significant mood-changer and reliever of stress, working on many levels at once. Music/Singing Play a tune on the guitar and sing along. That works even in the worst of times. By the time I'm done with the song, I've breathed deep, I've controlled myself to some degree to be able to sing on key :-), and I've come back into myself, and more into the real time moment. Internet Discussion Forum Many experts suggest that it is the rhythm of the music or the beat that has the calming effect on us although we may not be very conscious about it. They point out that when we were a baby in our mother's womb, we probably were influenced by the heart beat of our mother. We respond to the soothing music at later stages in life, perhaps associating it with the safe, relaxing, protective environment provided by our mother. Music can be one of the most soothing or nerve wracking experiences available. Choosing what will work for any individual is difficult, most will choose something they 'like' instead of what might be beneficial. In doing extensive research on what any given piece of music produces in the physiological response system many unexpected things were found. Many of the so-called Meditation and Relaxation recordings actually produced adverse EEG patterns, just as bad as Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. The surprising thing was many selections of Celtic, Native American as well as various music containing loud drums or flute were extremely soothing. The most profound finding was Any music Performed Live and even at moderately loud volumes even if it was somewhat discordant had very a beneficial response. Whenever the proper sounds were experienced an amazing right/left brain hemisphere synchronization occurred. The normal voltage spiking pattern changed to a smooth sinusoidal waveform and the usual voltage differential equalized. The entire human energetic system is extremely influenced by sounds, the physical body and chakra centers respond specifically to certain tones and frequencies. Special consideration should be given to the positive effects of one actually playing or creating music themselves. Among the first stress-fighting changes that take place when we hear a tune is an increase in deep breathing. The body's production of serotonin also accelerates. Music was found to reduce the pain during dental procedures. Playing music in the background while we are working, seemingly unaware of the music itself, has been found to reduce the stress. Music was found to reduce heart rates and to promote higher body temperature - an indication of the onset of relaxation. Combining music with relaxation therapy was more effective than doing relaxation therapy alone. Maximizing With Music Therapy As we mentioned before, there is not a single music that is good for everyone. People have different tastes. It is important that you like the music being played. The following are general guidelines to maximize the effectiveness of the music. To wash away stress, try taking a 20-minute "sound bath." Put some relaxing music on your stereo, then lie in a comfortable position on a couch or on the floor near the speakers. For a deeper experience, you can wear headphones to focus your attention and to avoid distraction. Choose music with a slow rhythm - slower than the natural heart beat which is about 72 beats per minute. Music that has repeating or cyclical pattern is found to be effective in most people. As the music plays, allow it to wash over you, rinsing off the stress from the day. Focus on your breathing, letting it deepen, slow and become regular. Concentrate on the silence between the notes in the music; this keeps you from analyzing the music and makes relaxation more complete. If you need a stimulation after a day of work, go for a faster music rather than slow calming music. When going gets tough, go for a music you are familiar with - such as a childhood favorite or favorite oldies. Familiarity often breeds calmness. Take walks with your favorite music playing on the walkman. Inhale and exhale in tune with the music. Let the music takes you. This is a great stress reliever by combining exercise (brisk walk), imagery and music. Listening to the sounds of nature, such as ocean waves or the calm of a deep forest, can reduce stress. Try taking a 15- to 20-minute walk if you're near the seashore or a quiet patch of woods. If not, you can buy tapes of these sounds in many music stores.

What genre of music helps you relax?

Plantar Fasciitis versus Achilles Tendonitis

 

 

 

Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendonitis

Plantar fasciitis and Achilles Tendonitis both the same contact point of pain, which is the heel bond.  Plantar fasciitis involved the fascia that extents from the bottom of the foot through the fascia of the foot and continues to the toes.   Achilles Tendonitis pain is sensed in the bottom of the leg at the connection of the heel.  With Achilles tendonitis the pain begins in the morning as a stiffness of the muscle, and  the pain becomes more prominent during the day, but with  plantar fasciitis the pain is experienced upon the first few steps of the day and usually is predominant in one foot.  Both injuries may be the result of running long distances.  Symptoms in plantar fascinates may develop gradually but Achilles tendonitis is the effect of training, which includes running, jumping, and climbing.  Pain can subside in both types of afflictions after warming up the foot and gradual loss of pain decreases during the day.  Wearing improper shoes can result in both types of foot agony. 

The symptoms of both conditions can be the result of overuse, improper foot gear, age, or the type of arch in the foot.  Plantar fasciitis may have an onset because of the weight is dispersed on the foot.  A consequence or development of low back pain, knee, and hip may be the product of not caring for plantar fasciitis. Repetitive, minor impact, and incorrect postures while performing tasks such as gardening, raking, shoveling may cause tendinitis.  Repeated abuse on the Achilles tendonitis could cause tears or breakage in the Achilles tendon often leading to surgery for repair.

To avoid injuries sustained by Achilles tendonitis start slow in training and if the Achilles tendon becomes painful rest, ice, compress, and elevate.  Take an Epsom salts soak, placing one cup of Epsom salts in warm water.  Plantar fasciitis warrants a different route for recovery.  Stretching the fascia bands by rolling the toes over a towel will help increase the tightness in the fascia.  Also, an Epsom salts bath is encourages.  Purchasing a night splint will help control the contraction of the foot while sleeping.  Freezing a water bottle and rolling on the arch of the foot to stretch the fascia is another way of reducing the pain of Plantar Fasciitis.

Of course the obvious is to get a massage that incorporates some type of foot massage.  Loosening the fascia and working the muscles surrounding the Achilles tendon, and  the attachment will relieve the pain associated with both afflictions.

Bibliography

Tendinitis. (2013, June 27). Retrieved from Web Md: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/arthitis-tendonitis

Staff, M. c. (2013, June 27). Achilles tendinitis. Retrieved from Mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/achilles-tendinitis/ds00737/method=print

staff, M. c. (2013, June 27). Plantar fasciitis. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/plantar-fasciitis/DS00508/Method=print &Dsection

Click here for more information on how BFST® Treatments work

Medical Function - ColdCure^® Wrap

Cold compression wraps are standard medical products for the treatment of pain and inflammation. Cold and compression applied to an injured joint immediately reduces the risk of further damage from excessive swelling. This swelling can be in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, or tendon sheaths within the ankle. Doctors and Therapists know that controlling swelling is a fundamental part of reducing long term permanent damage as a result of a soft tissue injury.

The King Brand ColdCure^® Achilles Wrap is a medical grade cold compression wrap designed for use in hospitals and injury therapy clinics. Increasingly patients are purchasing their own units for use at home and healing even faster as a result. The ColdCure^® wrap exceeds all government and health agency regulatory requirements for cold therapy specifically for use in soft tissue injuries.

Improving on the RICE standard of injury care, ColdCure^® wraps are specifically designed to operate at refrigeration (not freezer) temperatures. This eliminates the potential of skin damage during treatment associated with all freezer wraps. This improved standard is called RCCE^® (Rest, Cold, Compression, Elevation). RCCE^® allows for the wraps to be applied to the patient and used while not attended by a physician or clinician. This is very important given the likelihood of skin damage from alternative devices which use cold packs charged in a freezer particularly when used on the Achilles / ankle.

The over-sized cold packs in all ColdCure^® Achilles wraps contain specially formulated gel with more cooling power per lb than standard wraps. This allows for longer treatment durations without having to recharge the wrap or switch cold packs. The longer treatment times and more cold power means more pain relief, better control of swelling and less handling of the injured area. These all result in a better treatment. Each ColdCure^® wrap comes with 3 large cold packs allowing for immediate re-use in clinical settings or the ability for extended treatment durations in the patient's home.

Ankle ColdCure® Wrap

$49.95

Like the BFST^® Devices, ColdCure^® Achilles wraps are made from flexible, stretchable neoprene covered in soft, plush cloth. The gel pack is specifically designed for the shape of the ankle so that the Achilles is properly targeted. We do not use one common gel pack in all our wraps - the ankle and the bottom of the foot and the knee and the shoulder are all shaped very differently and each one deserves a custom designed pack if it's going to work the best. No other wrap in the world has specifically designed cold packs for each and every part of the body. The wrap molds the cold pack around the back of the ankle, up and down the Achilles, to ensure that there is an even distribution of cooling power and compression over the entire injured area. This has in every way been designed to be 100% an Achilles therapy product.

The wraps use RigiGel^® technology so that the gel does not flow away from the injured area when pressure is applied. The gel stays in place even under pressure. Yet it is still soft and molds to the body. ColdCure^® wraps are unique and of a higher quality and performance than any other wrap available. Again, like the BFST^® device, the ColdCure^® wrap is opened and closed using attached Velcro^® straps that guarantee a perfect fit. The wrap and unwrap design allows for easily application around a tender, injured, ankle without having to slip into or out of a 'boot or sock like' device.

Click here for more information on how ColdCure^® Treatments work

Understanding Pain

Understanding Pain

By Karen Benford Smith

Pain can be the most debilitating trauma to the body.  The dictionary defines the word pain as localized physical suffering associated with a bodily disorder as a disease or injury.  Problems arising in the body are often misdiagnosed because the individual is unfamiliar with the different types of pain classification.  Pain is determined by the kind of impairment that is produced. Physician’s group pain by tissue damage (nociceptive pain) and nerve damage (neuropathic pain). An additional type of pain is psychogenic pain commonly brought on by fear, depression, stress, or anxiety.

Further classification of pain can relate to the area that is aching such as back pain or chest pain.

Acute pain is often caused by damage to the tissues. Body tissues that sustain tissue damage as the result of a cut or broken bone.  Cancer is another way acute pain can be felt in the body.

When an athlete suffers a sports injury such as a twisted ankle or Achilles tendonitis, acute pain is the result outcome.  Application of the Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate is often advised to relieve the acute pain caused by injury.  Achilles tendonitis may be the result of overuse, wrong tennis shoes, over pronation, increasing the running distance, or wear and tear on the tendons.  In any case pain can be unbearable, which leads to intensified anguish from the thinking about the pain, and the outcome is psychological pain.

Chronic pain is a continuous pain that does not comply with medical treatment. This type of pain often occurs with breakthrough pain... Breakthrough pain is pain that continues even if medication is being used for the treatment, causing episodes of relief but soon after the pain returns.  Amazingly 70% of chronic pain patients have breakthrough pain. Often the explanation is the medication was not taking in accordance with the label on the bottle, as the patient forgot to continue the dosage to make the medication effective. 

Everyone tolerates pain differently.  What may be tolerable to this individual may be excruciating pain to the next.  Understanding the classification of pain may encourage individuals to seek massage for their affliction. The body is an amazing tool that takes time and self-care to relieve an injury.  Thirteen weeks for a chronic injury is the amount of time that the body heals itself. If the body does not repair itself in 13 weeks then the individual should seek medical advice. 

Often a change in diet or starting a stretching regime can encourage pain to leave the body.  Managing pain is a slow and patient process, something that is hard for individuals to comprehend.  Eating properly, drinking plenty of water, and placing 3 cups Epsom salts in a bath and soaking is often the minimal requirements to reduce pain.

(Pain Management Health Center, 2013)

Pain Management Health Center. (2013, June 25). Retrieved from Web MD: www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-types-and calssifications

Health Benefits of Massage from LoneDove

Health Benefits

At Lone Dove the belief is massage therapy facilitates growth, increases attentiveness and learning while elevating pain. Immune functions are improved and massage also assisted in overcoming additions (like smoking). Blood pressure may be lowered; reduction of anxiety and hostility may be diminished in many cases. Pain and range of motion may be improved in persons with low back pain. Massage therapy had also demonstrated the ability to reduce migraine headaches.
Each person has their own vital healing energy and massage can aid in the ability of ones body to heal itself. This inner energy balance is key to healthy living and may be the most important change one experiences through a therapeutic massage.