Body Balancing Massage Therapy - March 09 Issue

I am encountering more and more people who are seeing and making a change in their life. Tired of  the daily dire media obfuscations, big companies taking our tax dollars to throw parties and laying off employees to the raping of our collective wallet by the gov't to bail out those companies "to big to fail" (the American tax payer is a bigger company and as CEO it looks like your doing to us what they did to their companies)

But I digress. I have encountered more and more people who are simplifying their lives. Cutting out the unnecessary in their lives and falling back and taking care of what is real and what is really important. My approach is "simple and inexpensive". Drink lots of water, take a walk and breath deep. Of course it would be a great idea to get a massage by me :). But the important part of that is that all the things I am suggesting cost nothing! (except me) No gym memberships, no special clothes, agenda's or yoyo diets. Just add water, take a few more deep breaths, walk around the block. The difference it makes is slower than fad diets, and not as exciting as our immediate wants. But giving into the addiction of our immediate wants is what got us here. Now its time to get back to basics and enjoy the simple life.

The third thing today is how polluted we are. The products we use, and consume on a daily basis do more damage than anything else. Our medicines have longer lists of side effects than benefits, our food is more preservatives and flavor enhancers than food. Recently a friend told me about some bananas that lasted on his counter for about 2 weeks. The worst part of it is that when we question the powers that be about these things they try to make us feel stupid for asking. my favorite is where they say that there has been no scientific testing to prove the toxins in their products have killed anyone. I've never tested how much petroleum it takes to kill me but that doesn't take away its toxicity. Since no one really knows what causes cancer and 80% of cancers are environmental. I would venture to say that we have spent an obscene amount of money trying to find the cure to cancer. Maybe now its time to put a little effort into how to stay healthy.

We need to take back our world from the corrupt demagogues that stand on high and steal our world from us.

Nuff said

 This month was St. Cloud Life. A local business expo, food fest and good time. This one was no exception. While I always grumble of the price of these things, I enjoy the opportunity it presents to get my message and face in front of a lot of people. While I have been told that I should charge per minute for the massage I offer, I find the tips freely offered are a much better compliment.

Most of the business people there are always glad to share business and leads back and forth. While I have rarely been a fan of most chiropractors for a simple reason that a Chiro friend explained to me. There are Chiropractors that are businessmen, and unfortunately more are businessmen that are chiropractors. One of the Chiro's that was at St. Cloud life was approached by a elderly woman who was looking for me. She described me as the male mobile massage therapist that specializes in medical massage. Since I am the ONLY male LMT in St. Cloud, and the only mobile LMT in St. Cloud, and I have spoken with this chiro on several instances about working with him (he hired a fresh face fresh out of school for a lot less) I was kind of surprised that he said he didn't know who she was asking about. Nonetheless he tried to sell his services to her.

What goes around, comes around,...... in spades. I gave up on the greedy accumulation of clients along time ago. It breeds to much bad karma and burns good will by the barrel. In a small town, good will goes a loooooooong way. So my business advice for this month, is generous good will. I have seen good will come around multiplying as it comes around and lifts everybody in the circle at the same time. So go out and do something nice,.. not just cause it will come back around but just cause it is a good thing to do. When it is your turn to receive, say thank-you and pay it forward.

deep breathing but more specifically fully exhaling can help with abdominal trigger points both in resolving them but more importantly stretching the tissue so they never develop!

BREATHE!!!

Case Study -

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. " John Muir

I decided to put off doing the final in the Lymphedema certification series. Going to San
Francisco was going to end up being $800 dollars more (really good reason in this economy) Than waiting till November and doing it in Miami.

the lower abdomen is RIPE with all manner of lymphatics. They will undoubtedly seem involved in this months focus and some not so much.

The mid range of the "Six Pack" is home to 3 areas in the Chapman Reflexes arena. Chapman's reflexes are reflex zones that when stimulated increase lymphatic function. In this case the increased function is in reference to Adrenal exhaustion, Allergies, cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), and kidney function.

A critical junction in the small intestine is deep to this muscle. TrP's in this muscle can "clog" this and lead to constipation. Superficial lymphatic drainage from this muscle all goes towards the belly button.

The rectus abdominis muscle (commonly known as "abs") is a paired muscle running vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the human abdomen (and in some other animals). It is two parallel muscles, separated by a midline band of connective tissue called the linea alba (white line). It extends from the xiphoid process (apex between the ribs) and lower costal cartilages (5-7) down to the pubic symphysis/pubic crest inferiorly (bone you can feel before you get to the "privates". It is contained in the Rectus sheath.

The rectus is usually crossed by three fibrous bands called the tendinous inscriptions. A well-defined RA include a "six pack" and "washboard abs", and often carry cultural connotations of superior physical fitness. While the "six pack" is by far the most common configuration of the RA, there exist rare anatomic variations which result in the appearance of eight (four per side) muscle segments ("eight pack"), ten, or (even rarer) asymmetrically arranged segments. All these variations are functionally equivalent.

This muscle serves as the prime mover for spinal flexion (bending over), especially of the lumbar spine, and it tenses the anterior abdominal wall to increase intraabdominal pressure. Electromyographically, (Electromyograph measures when a muscle is active) the RA is active when a weight is carried on the back, but not when the weight is carried in front of the thighs. This muscle responds to the gait cycle during walking. This muscle is consistently active as the feet leave the ground when jumping, and not so active during landing from the jump. Sit-ups generate much more electrical activity in the RA than did let backs. The muscular activity was greatest during the initial phase of the sit-up between scapular lift and hip lift from the floor. Little difference is seen regardless of whether the knees were bent to 65°, or were straight. Flexing the knees and holding the feet down during a sit up increased the activity of the abdominal muscles . The abdominal muscles are more active when walking uphill than on level ground.

The TrP's in the uppermost  (and lower) quadrant of the Rectus Abdominis (RA for this article) have a upper level problem referral front and back. They often are responsible for pain between the bottom of the shoulder blade and the bottom of the ribs. This is manufactured in the body with one habit with two separate problems.

The classic computer slouch posture (rolling the chest over on to abdomen) the RA becomes involved with breathing in short breaths. It restricts breathing and fluidic flow through the area and sets the process for a shortened musculature to develop trigger points and gastrointestinal distress.

The trigger point development displays specific symptomology including abdominal fullness, heartburn, indigestion and sometimes nausea and vomiting. In my experience, nausea and epigastric distress occur more often when these upper­most RA TrP's are on the left, rather than on the right side. RA TrP can also refer pain that can mimic chest pain. In all actuality it will contribute more to an anxiety attack format that actual "chest pain"

While lower quadrant TrPs refer pain to the low back in a band across the top of the hips, it viscerosomatic (organ/muscle connection) symptomology mimics dysmenorrhea (PMS cramps/pain), and colic  like symptoms. An active TrP in the right lower RA also may cause diarrhea, and symptoms mimicking diverticulosis and gynecological disease. A TrP just above the pubis may cause spasm of the  urinary sphincter muscles.

One the slump posture starts it contributes to it from the neck, and sternalis (the muscle in the center of the chest) pulling the head forward which contribute to the rounded shoulder and therein starts a whole new set of problems.