Tips Of All Sorts

By Michael Hehn

There are many fitness regimes that incorporate breathing techniques, yoga being one of them. However, while other exercise programs, especially those which involve high impact and strenuous workouts depend on the fitness level of the individual Tai Chi is generally suitable for persons of all fitness levels. Of course the speed and intensity of its routines can be adjusted for fitness levels so as to maximize the benefit to each individual.

Tai Chi Chuan or Tai Chi for short is best known these days for its health benefits but its origin is as a form of martial art. This may be hard to reconcile with the gentle routines and dance like movements followed by its practitioners. It is an “Internal Martial art” - one that concentrates on building inner strength as opposed to demonstration of external brute force.

It operates on 4 levels - Physical, intellectual, spiritual and as a form of combat.

As a physical exercise the movements or forms involve a surprisingly large range of joint rotations and therefore promote flexibility and help improve metabolism, circulation and cardiovascular health.

On an intellectual level it involves relaxation and focus - awareness of your body, its posture, balance and co-ordination. It works on principles of qi (pronounced as chee). Qi assumes the existence of channels of bio energy - it is a life force that governs our being. This is by no means a concept unique to Tai Chi and is equivalent to the Yoga concept of “Prana”.

Proponents of it believe that this life energy is transported throughout the body through 12 main meridians and 8 secondary meridians. As long as qi continues to flow uninterrupted through these invisible channels (meridians) the body remains strong and healthy. However, when passage of the qi is blocked by bad posture, inactivity, injury or other factors that’s when problems set in.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about tai chi. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Breathing techniques are an integral part of this process of distributing qi. Every movement involves collecting storing and distributing energy. Inhaling stores energy while exhaling delivers energy. Breathing is matched with appropriate movements. For instance when hands move apart in an opening movement or you step forward this is accompanied by inhalation and storing of energy while punching or when hands come together this coincides with exhalation and distribution of energy.

It teaches its students to breathe abdominally - to let the breath or qi sink to the “Tan Tien” i.e. the area below the navel. This gives the body a sense of strength and stability.

The spiritual aspect of it is also closely tied in with breathing techniques. A proficient practitioner of Tai Chi will no longer have to consciously control his breathing and match it with the movements of his body. Appropriate breathing will after some practice become second nature -a spiritual experience of communing with nature.

Hard as it may be to imagine, Tai Chi movements were intended as a means of combat and the movements or forms as they are called are geared to dislocate joints and cause internal bleeding in opponents. If Tai Chi were used as a dance routine then the benefits derived from it would be limited. To derive the maximum benefit from Tai Chi it should be approached as a martial art. Thereby deriving the attendant benefits of internal toughness and strength.

Although it is believed it was first practiced in China in the 1820’s recent studies have shown that significant health benefits can still be derived from it. These include better balance and co-ordination (Of special importance to elderly people as this reduces falls and associated injuries), lowering of blood pressure and stress levels, strengthening of muscles and joints and improved cardiovascular health.

Given these benefits and its adaptability to suit many individual circumstances it obviously has much to offer the health conscious individual in the 21st century.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about these old techniques.

About The Author

Michael Hehn writes articles about various topics.
Find out what he has to say about yoga at Yoga

In many ways, the practical aspects of leaving your practice for a sabbatical – locums, money management, etc. – are, believe it or not, the easiest. What can be incredibly challenging is the emotional roller coaster ride of walking away from something you’ve worked so hard to build, and then trying to remain sane while you’re gone. Given our recent transition, here are a few tips for you:

Stay Big Picture
From 40,000 feet, the big picture of leaving your practice (assuming you don’t shut your doors) looks like this: patients show up, consume products and services, and happily pay. It’s a system for exchanging services for money. In the past, you may have been the main engine of that service, but now it’s time to pass the torch.

Certainly leaving your practice for any length of time – even a short vacation – can result in the world’s longest to-do list. Resist the temptation, though, to get caught up in the details. Yes, they’ll all have to be taken care of, but not at one time. Start a list right away, and just jot down all the little things as you go so you don’t have to think about them until it’s time.

While you’re away, continue to focus on the larger picture. One slow day at the office doesn’t mean your practice is going down the tubes – each day’s going to be a little different. Remember that you have slower days when you’re there, too – one bad day doesn’t make a trend. Micro-management isn’t going to work when you’re gone.

Practice Before You Go
The best way to iron out the kinks of the no-you practice is to…well, leave. Do a test run before you go. Get your locum started a few days before you leave, turn off your cell phone, and see how things go. You’ll be surprised at how many kinks you’ll work out in one day.

While there’s clearly a practical side to this, there’s also a huge emotional benefit to a trial run, particularly if you’re leaving the country. Traveling or relocating can be stressful enough without wondering how things are working at home. A trial run is the best stress-reliever there is. Most of the kinks are little things that are easy to fix while you’re in the office, but far more emotionally draining when you’re halfway around the world. In our case, the trial run made a huge difference during the week or two it took to get email access and a phone.

Accept the Worst-Case Scenario
Calculate the worst possible financial outcome for your practice in your absence. What will you have to pay out if not one single patient shows up the entire time you’re gone? This is likely the sum of all your fixed costs for your practice, give or take.

It’s also extremely unlikely to happen, and the objective is not to focus on it. The purpose of this is to be able to say, “the worst thing that can happen is I’ll lose $X, and I can live with that,” and then get on with your planning. In reality, your clients will show up. The worst-case scenario is just that, and it lies in the very fringes of probability – it just ain’t gonna happen.

Ask yourself, “is it worth $X to be home with my new baby/travel/do volunteer work/etc.?” If the answer is yes, then move on.

Focus on What’s Real
Once you’ve accepted the worst possible outcome, focus on what’s real. Don’t speculate on problems that aren’t there (and likely won’t be). Feel free to do a little disaster planning – data backups, staff changes, illness, fire, etc. - but don’t obsess on issues that don’t exist.

Obsessing over the possibility of declining patient visits is not productive. If that happens, start generating positive solutions to the situation, but not until then. Learn to understand the difference between brainstorming solutions to possible outcomes, and obsessing over problems.

Give Up Your Ego
Small businesses tend to operate in an “owner is everything” environment. You may be used to doing everything yourself. Over time, that can evolve into believing you have to do everything yourself. That in turn, evolves into believing you’re the only one who can do the job at all.

Let it go. The truth is that we’re all dispensable. What’s led you to believing that no one else can do your job is the subconscious feeling that no one else cares about your practice as much as you. Instead of focusing on how no one else can do it, focus on finding ways to motivate your staff to care as much as you do.

Maybe it’s not Supposed to Be Easy
Leaving your practice is hard. It’s a whole new skill set. For most practitioners, what’s really going on is a transition from owning a job to truly running a business, and that’s a tough change. Don’t expect it to be simple, but at the same time, don’t expect it to be impossible or painful. Just expect it to be a challenge that you’re well equipped for.

If you’re thinking of taking some time away, feel free to email any questions you may have: dan@alternativehealthpractice.com

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Jane Brody, the nutrition and fitness writer for the New York Times is always a good read, but in this column, “To Avoid ‘Boomeritis,’ Exercise, Exercise, Exercise” she out does herself.

She clearly articulates that aging boomers must step up their exercise programs as they age if they are to enjoy injury free and active lives.  She clarifies that the concept of a half hour walk several times per week does not constitute sufficient exercise, (and it never did.)

She mentions says that, “in addition to activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming that promote endurance, cardiovascular health and weight control, there is a dire need for exercises that improve posture and increase strength, flexibility and balance. These exercises can greatly reduce the risk of injuries from sports and endurance activities, the demands of daily life, falls and other accidents.”

Musculoskeletal injuries are the number 1 reason for seeking medical care in the US at present.  How does one help mitigate their risk to musculoskeletal injuries?  The answer in strengthening your entire body by rigorous exercise.  This exercise is normally known by the term functional, core, or movement exercise, although Ms. Brody doesn’t use these terms explicitly. 

If you don’t exercise, what’s the result?  Boomeritis, a term apparently coined by Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

 

 Here is a quiz cited in the column which was developed by two prominent physical therapists, Marilyn Moffat and Carole B. Lewis to assess the status of your posture, strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. 

¶Are you not standing as straight and tall as you once did?

Is walking up a flight of stairs a strain at times?

Are you getting up from a chair more slowly than you used to?

Is it getting harder to look to the left and right while backing up?

Do you get stiff sitting through a long movie?

Is standing on one leg to put on your shoe difficult or impossible?

Do you trip or lose your balance more easily?

Does walking or jogging a distance take longer than it used to?

The bottom line according to the quiz authors:   “The antidote to aging is activity.”

Read the whole article here.  But the advice from getfitsource.com is simple.   Do yourself a favor.  See a personal trainer today and develop a customized functional training program today and then stick with it on your own as you continue to age.  There is no quick fix; a long term commitment to a 3-4 times a week rigorous and intelligently designed exercise program is the most important component of your health as you age. 

By Daniel Millions

Herbal remedies are taking over the drug industry at a very fast rate and many are increasingly using them to treat all kind of ailments or as supplements.

However, a lot of side effects of these herbs are not widely known as the manufacturers of these herbs are usually not required to send proof of safety and efficacy to the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for approval before being dispatched.

Recent researches are showing that some herbal remedies do indeed have side effects as follows:
Ginko Biloba has been reported to cause spontaneous bleeding.

St. Johns wort is known to cause gastrointestinal problems, allergic issues, exhaustion, confusion, a dry mouth, and photosensitivity. If you manifest these side effects, you may need to seek medical attention.

Herbal supplements are also useful and can be taken daily as they are often very rich in vitamins and minerals especially calcium and magnesium. Common herbal supplements are St. Johns Wort, ginseng, fennel and Echinacea.

Some of the household plants such as rosemary, basil and garlic are also considered herbs and have powerful therapeutic properties. They can be incorporated into many meals and are usually best to be taken raw as heat could sometimes reduce their healing properties

Ephedra (Mahuang)is responsible for causing insomnia, nervousness, hypothermia, tremor, severe headaches, seizure, myocardial infarction, kidney stones.

Kava could cause lingual dyskinesia, sedation, torticollis, enhancement of Parkinson’s disease, oculogyric crisis, intense movements of the trunk, and rashes.

In addition, certain herbs are known to produce severe side effects if taken with commercial pharmaceutical drugs. For example, Gingko Biloba may produce more severe bleeding in patients that also take aspirin and warfarin, Ephedra may produce hallucination-like symptoms if taken with alcohol or caffeine.

A study also shows that approximately 25% of patients consulting doctors for serious ailments opt to use alternative medicines while only 70% of them are telling their doctors about it.

Therefore, every patient must consult their physicians as well as herbalists before taking any herbal remedy and must adhere to prescribed dosage. This is because herbal medicines could have the effects of drugs such as marijuana which can be very dangerous if they are taken unknowingly with other commercial drugs and without proper guidance for a long period of time.

Overall herbal remedy cures offer a much more cost effective advantage verse over the counter medicine. The pros far outway the cons and I suggest everyone should at least look into herbal remedies to help cure an illness or at least use as a preventive measure.

About The Author

Herbal Remedy

Daniel Millions

This HealthDay News story via Forbes reports that the amount of fat in the diet may be linked to cancer recurrence in postmenopausal women who have been treated for breast cancer.

 

The study of 2,400 women, aged 48 to 79, found “the rate of cancer recurrence after five years was 9.8 percent among women who ate a low-fat diet (about 33 grams of fat per day) and 12.4 percent among those who ate a standard diet (about 52 grams of fat per day).”   The findings are reported in the December issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

 

Read the whole article here.