Detoxifying and Cleansing

by Karen Benford Smith

Every day the body transforms the food and chemicals ingested in the body through a natural process of elimination or neutralizing.  The processes take class in the colon, kidneys, liver, lungs, lymph, and skin.  The internal and external organs automatically detoxify through normal bodily functions but in today’s world the process can be hampered.  Cleansing or detoxification program may enhance and provide protection from the outside forces that want to cause havoc in the body. The solution to safeguard the body an implementation of yet another way to defend the keep pollution and hazardous materials from contaminating the body is to cleanse and detoxify these materials that were not meant to be in the body.  Detoxifying and cleansing can help remove unwanted environmental harmful such as pollution, chemicals, and any other immune-compromising diseases that affect the whole body. Cleansing is one of the best ways to fight free radicals and triggers that may cause internal damage.

The body sends signals to the mind identifying reasons for a change to the compromised immune system.  Here are some of the warning signs that a cleanse or detoxification program may necessary. If you have frequent headaches, back and joint pains, or arthritis. Also a detox program may be prompted if you have chronic sinus, respiratory, or asthma problems. Another way to define if you need a cleansing is if you have abnormal bad breath, body odor, or a coated tongue.  When you become irritable, depressed, or have trouble sleeping would be three additional reasons to try a detoxification program. 

Some of the benefits that a detoxification program gives the body is a clean internal operating system that is able to handle its own flushing and eliminating.  A cleanse will provide the body with the ability to breath freely without obstruction caused by excess mucous and congestion.  Once the chemical overload has been removed, mental clarity and free thinking will be restored.  A big plus factor in cleansing is the reduction of stomach muscles which helps control weight and allocation of food sources.

There are three steps needed to put together a cleansing program, the actual cleans, rebuilding, and maintenance.  The amount of time you can devote to cleansing is also another important factor.  Always follow these three steps, elimination, rebuilding of the healthy tissues, and keeping the body toxin-free.

Recently, I did a detoxification to reduce stress.  My cleansing program was a three days program followed by a continued upkeep of the reduction of unhealthy chemicals in the body. 

Two good sources for a detox program can be found at http://www.doctoroz.com/media/print/10173 or for a longer formal detox program go to http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/Deepak-chopra/meditation-cleanse-detox-stress-21-days?

Another excellent source for different detoxification and healthy living programs is Healthy Living by Linda Page.

Namaste,

Karen

 

Posture

Posture

By Karen Benford Smith

Back pain is one of the primary complaints of individuals seeking medical attention and reasons for missing work.  The chief complaint is low back pain with symptoms that include muscle ache, shooting or stabbing pain, limited range of motion, and the inability to stand erect.  Back pain can be eliminated or reduced by following these simple steps.

First, posture is an important part of the back pain problem.  Posture may be the leading cause of lower and upper back pain.  The pressure that is added to the spinal nerves may cause a herniated disc. Overuse of certain muscles may cause Myofascial pain, which affects the connective tissue of the group of muscles in the lower back. If an individual corrects poor posture either during extended times of standing, walking, and sitting back pain may be reduced.  Exercise is another key component for strengthening back muscles.  The exercises usually target muscles in the back, shoulders, and abdomen.  Another way to control good posture is to practice deep breathing exercises.  Yoga participants use deep breathing exercises to strengthen core muscles.  These muscles in the core region of the body will help balance the spinal cord and surrounding muscles as well as keep the body in proper alignment.

Back muscles often become sore from strenuous exercise, poor posture, or overuse. Some back treatment remedies that may be managed at home are rest, heat and ice, over—the-counter pain medication, and analgesics for muscular pain.

Back pain is the number one reason for individuals seek medical consultation and absenteeism from work.  Practicing good posture while walking, standing, and sitting can eliminate or minimize back pain.

Iliopsoas Syndrome

The lower back muscles are the more dominant muscles of the back because of their ability to maintain posture, stability of the body, and movement.  There are two muscles of the low back that cross over and act as one.  The psoas major and illacus, together form the muscle known as the Iliopsoas.  The purpose the Iliopsoas is a deep muscle in the abdomen and along the iliac fossa.  As a hip flexor, the illiopsoas plays a crucial role in the posture of the spine, and helps with movement in the lower lumbar spine, and an influential function of the lordosis (curve) of the spine.

An individual might experience the pain of the iliopsoas syndrome if the following areas are experiencing acute or chronic pain:  lower abdomen, groin, buttocks, thigh and leg, hip, lower back, sacroiliac joint, across the top of the pelvic bond, and stiffness and clicking in the hip region.

The cause of iliopsoas syndrome can be attributed to repetitive hip  motion, sitting too long in the same stationery position, speed workouts associated with a runners workout, shortened hip muscles, poor abdominal muscles, pronation, shortened quadriceps muscles, and cycling.

This muscle lies deep in the back of the spine intertwined between the S1 and L5.  The difficulty of working this muscle from a massage therapist standpoint begins with understanding how to locate this muscle. As the therapist enters the point where Ilacus and psoas meet, a slow insertion of pressure as well as an inward motion toward the spine is important in relieving the client’s pain.  Once the muscle is located, pressure should be added to the point, then releasing for ease of the soft tissue.  This type of manipulation will encourage the management of this syndrome.  Other options are various stretches that open the constrained hips, lower back stretches, and leg raises.  Often rest, massage, and stretching will help alleviate the pain caused by Iliopsoas Syndrome.

Ginger Root and Benefits

Ginger

By Karen Benford Smith

Ginger is rhizome (underground stem), used as a spice in cooking or for medicinal purposes. This stem can be found in powered form, dried, fresh, as a juice or oil.  Ginger to aid in the relief of stomach pain, muscle or arthritic joint pain, and as a laxative.

Cancer treatment that causes nausea can be soothed with ginger.  Motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, and diarrhea can be treated with ginger. 

Drink ginger tea during a menstrual cycle to soothe the cramping.  Other muscle pains can be relieved with ginger heated and applied directly to the affected area.  Some individuals have had positive outcomes drinking ginger tea when afflicted with upper respiratory problems.

Ginger is also used to improve the taste of food and beverages.

Studies have shown that ginger can reduce the inflammation of osteoarthritis.  An individual would have to take 250 mg four times a day of ginger extract (Zintona EC) for three months to actually begin to feel the effects.  (Ginger, 2013).

The chemicals in ginger work to keep nausea and inflammation down by working chiefly in the intestines and stomach region.  Ginger is also has properties that control nausea and as a carminative (an ingredient that reduces gas in the intestinal tract).

Ginger Compress

Ginger compresses can be placed directly on achy muscles or aching joints.  Slice raw ginger, approximately four ounces, into lean slices.  Boil one-half gallon of water to a rolling boil then add the slices of ginger and let simmer for 20 minutes. Take a towel and dip it into the water, wring it out, and place on the area that is in pain.  Cover with another towel to keep the heat from evaporating.  Place the towel back in the ginger water after the towel has cooled off.  Repeat one more time. Again this is effective in treating arthritic and muscular pain.  Also works for areas in the back that are having spasms.

Ginger Bath

Take eight ounces of ginger and slice very thin.  Place in boiling water and let simmer for 40 minutes.  Add the simmered ginger to a hot bath and wait for the bath water to cool.  Soothing to joints and inflamed muscles that occur all over the body.

The cost of ginger is $5.00 per pound as of yesterday when shopping at Publix.  The benefits of ginger are amazing per cost per pound and if used often will relieve most muscular and arthritic problems.  Why not consider switching to ginger versus over the counter pain relievers.  Natural pathic ways surely are less expensive and safer for the body.

 

 

 

Ginger. (2013, August 3). Retrieved from Medline Plus Trusted Health Information for You: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugino/natural/961.html

Michael Reed Gach, P. (2012). Accupressure Pain Relief. Kihei: Accupressure.com.

Weil, D. (2013, February 4). Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid. Retrieved from My Four Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Foods: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART032227/My-Four-Favoirte-AntiInflammatory-Foods.html

Back Pain Treatments

Complementary Back Pain Treatments

There are several other back pain treatments you can try.

• Acupuncture. An expert inserts tiny needles in your skin at specific points to relieve pain. Studies have found that acupuncture can help some people with back pain.

• Electrical stimulation. This involves sending harmless levels of electricity to the nerves in order to ease pain. The most common form of this treatment is called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS.)

• Massage. One study found that massage helped reduce back pain and improve function faster than regular medical care alone. Be sure to tell your massage therapist about your back pain and any injuries.

• Spinal Manipulation. An expert will press against a joint in your spine with hands or a device. The idea is to relieve pressure and realign the joints and muscles. Spinal manipulation is also called chiropractic adjustment. Studies have found the approach can help with back pain.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain

• Seek support from your furniture. Sit in chairs with good back support. Make sure your desk is at a comfortable height.

• Have good posture. Try not to slouch when you're sitting or standing. Keep your shoulders back when sitting at a desk. Don't let your shoulders creep up toward your ears.

• Lift carefully. Don't try to pick up things that are too heavy. When lifting, bend from your knees, not your waist.

• Sleep on your side with your knees bent. It puts less stress on your spine. Try not to sleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your back, put pillows under your lower back and knees.

• Stretch. Before you work out or do anything strenuous, stretch first. It lowers the risk of a strain or sprain.

WebMD 2013

Oh My Aching Back

Oh My Aching Back

By Karen Benford Smith

The cause of lower back pain can range from mechanical problems, injuries, or acquired conditions or diseases according to WebMD. Understanding back pain will help a patient decide, which method of pain relief is necessary.

 Mechanical problems with back pain can be diagnosed by the physician and involves the failure of the discs located at the base of the spine deteriorate until they stop functioning.  This is usually a commonality with age.  The cushion between the vertebrae begins to deteriorate causing much pain because of bone on bone.  Other types of mechanical failure in the back are felt through spasms, muscle tension, and discs that become herniated.  Spasms and back tension may often result from overuse of the back or stress placed unnecessarily on back. 

Back injuries may either be acute (short-lived) or chronic (long-term). Often time acute pain can transfer to chronic pain if the individual is not careful to provide ice upon first feeling the injury and rest.  Sprains and spasms in the spine can often occur from a simple twist of the spine.  Remembering to use good body mechanics when lifting items up from the floor by incorporating muscles in the legs versus the lower back will help alleviate back pain.  Many injuries are sustained in the workout areas because individual are not properly trained in how to perform exercises such as squats and leg baring weight exercises. This is especially true with individuals who garden and are lifting and carrying items from the car to the area of the yard.   Falls and accidents can also trigger lower back pain.  Physical pain resulting from stress placed on the back can also be generated from stress.  Stress is often the culprit in long term back pain and with relaxation methods can easily relieve the pain in the back.  Paying attention to how you lift and twist using the back may save many weeks of pain and therapy.

A trained massage therapist will help any individual who is feeling lower back pain.  A good licenses massage therapist will understand how the hamstrings, gluteal muscles, and lower back muscles  work together.  Receiving a massage for acute back pain may help an individual avoid major physical therapy down the road.  Receiving a massage once a month and can help deter back pain for anyone who suffers from acute or chronic back pain, back muscle spasms, or just discomfort in the lower back region.  As the picture indicates below, a pinched Piriformis can create major lower back pain.  If the onset of a pinched Piriformis happens ice immediately for the first 24 hours and then follow three minutes of heat and 30 seconds of ice for three consecutive times.  Massage may be advisable but if the pain continues for more than two weeks seek the knowledge of a healthcare professional.

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Griffin, R. M. (2013, July 24). WEbMD. Retrieved from What's Making Your Back Hurt?: http:/www.webmd.com/back-pain/america-asks13/why-your-back-hurts

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83 My Life With Tea, Part One Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.  ~Chinese Proverb I have written about the health benefits of green tea for more than 30 years, and it is possible that in some small way I have helped this wonderful beverage become popular in the United States. I hope so, because today, thousands of scientific studies confirm what the ancient Chinese knew through simple observation - green tea is perhaps the most healthful beverage human beings can consume. Studies either strongly suggest or confirm that the antioxidants in green tea can reduce LDL cholesterol, promote fat burning, reduce the risk of several forms of cancer, and alleviate depression. But tea is much more than the healthful compounds in it. It is an experience, and for me, a personal story of discovery that continues to this day. Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world.  ~T'ien Yiheng When I was growing up in Philadelphia in the 1940s and 50s, my parents drank coffee exclusively - black and unsweetened. I did not like it (and still don't). The only tea we knew about was the stuff from the supermarket in tea bags. Old and sick people drank hot tea.  My parents and I drank iced tea in the summer, much sweetened. Then, after graduating from high school in 1959, I had a life-changing experience. As part of a remarkable institution known as the International School of America, I traveled around the world in nine months with a group of fellow students. In Japan, I was exposed to sencha - the everyday green tea drunk by all Japanese. More significantly, I experienced matcha, the powdered green tea, as part of a true Japanese tea ceremony. Many Americans have heard of, or even taken part in, this ceremony today, but in 1959, it was virtually unknown to most of the western world. The idea of using a food - tea - as a ceremonial object of focus and meditation fascinated me and made a strong impression. Later on that same trip, I had a chance to drink tea in other Asian cultures as well as in middle Eastern and European countries, and by the time I returned to the U.S. to attend  Harvard College, I was a confirmed tea aficionado and experimenter. In the early 1960s, I recall in particular a period of enthusiasm for lapsong souchong, a Taiwanese tea that is smoked over pinewood fires, imparting a rich, dark color and a complex, satisfying flavor. If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.  ~Japanese Proverb In the 1970s and 80s, I became concerned about widespread coffee addiction in America. Many of my patients had longstanding disorders - such as chronic stress, insomnia, or gastrointestinal conditions - and had been to dozens of doctors, taken many medications, but found no relief. I was nearly always the only doctor who 1) asked them if they drank coffee, and 2) told them in no uncertain terms to stop drinking it for at least two months to see if the problem resolved. This simple counsel was amazingly successful. My files are full of accounts of chronic health problems  that resolved completely when people stopped drinking coffee. In many cases, these patients became tea drinkers, and found the experience satisfying and healthful. Also in those decades, I went to Japan many times, and was fascinated by the true depth and richness of the green tea culture there. I became familiar with some of the finest varieties of green tea, and soon began to drink these daily.