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| NATURAL HEALTH RESOURCE REVIEW November 8, 2000 Volume 1, Issue 4 |
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| ARE AWARNESS THROUGH MOVEMENT CLASSES FOR YOU? by Janice Puente With an abundance of health-related classes available, Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes may seem like just another way to use your valuable time. The hour spent in the class however, has the potential to bring you a whole new awareness of yourself and how you move, as well as neww options for self-use. Because of patterns established during our development, life traumas or illness, and through habit in our every day movements, we often use muscles that we do not need to use. After many repetitions, this can cause fatigue, pain, and muscle tension, especially multiplied by a lifetime. Notice sometime where you hold tension while doing some familiar task, such as writing, raking or unlocking your front door while holding an armful of groceries. Do you tense your jaw or neck, lift your shoulders or frown? These movements are called parasitic movements and are responsible for detracting from the quality of our lives and may even contribute to conditions such as fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue. Awareness cultivated through ATM classes can eliminate parasitic movements, help you develop a positive self-image and graceful, efficient movement which is pain free. for further information call Janice Puente at the Tree of Life Center, (208) 664-6996 Writer's Biography |
| ROLF MOVEMENT by Greg Bishop Rolf movement use the same priciple and concepts developed by Ida Rolf, Ph.D., the creatoe of teh Rolfing series. Rolf movement practitioners help clients find support and balance that allows for more free, open movement. techniques combine gentle touch , verbal interaction, active and passive mocromovement, and deep sensory awarness. Client and practitioner work together to understand the client's current movement patterns and the options available for a new and healthier interaction with gravity. Many people see gravity as an enemy. rolfers understand that it is imbalance that is the enemy. Our body's tissues are designed to absorb the energy of gravity. Take for example, our feet. There are 26 bones and as many as 34 joints! These are surrounded by muscle, tendons, ligament and soft tissue. Why so many bones and joints in such a small space? One reason is to absorb the impact of our body weight as we move around on them. Another function is for the soft tissues to absorb the energy of gravity and redirect it out into the body to propel us forward as we walk and run. So our feet and much of the rest of our bodies are really very sophisticated springs. We need gravity to keep our bodies healthy by allowing it to travel through our spring-like tissues to keep them alive, fluid and resilient. Our bodies must be open and balanced to allow this gravitational energy to flow through. Imagine your body is a liquid filled balloon. The liquid is in various satges of viscosity, thin to very thick. The skin of the balloon also dives deep and in and out of every part, separating parts and giving them shape. The bones are spacers. They provide some support and help maintain shape. Now imagine the balloon sittingon a surface. The support provided by gravity is spread throughout the balloon. What would be the effect throughout the balloon if it began to walk, run and jump? The force of gravity would affect every structure. What would happen if a part of the skin were to be held stiff or oinched? It would effect the whole balloon. The goal of Rolfing structural integration is to systematically open the soft tissue so the body can find balance in gravity. Rolf movement helps maintain this openess by helping people find more effiecient, centered and graceful movement in our everyday lives. Rolf movement can be undertaken on its own or in addition to Rolfing structural integration. To schedule an appointment, or for a free consultation, contact Greg Bishop at (208)659-7303 Links:www.rolfsite.com www.rolf.org |
| CHINESE KITCHEN CORNER by Barbara Boss, Ph.D., L.Ac With this fourth printing of the NHRA newsletter, we begin a new topic for the Chinese Kitchen Corner: foods that are medicines. In addition to the wealth of clinical information (as well as some folklore) available regarding the healing properties of various Chinese herbal preparations, much research has beeen performed recently to identify the active ingredients present in these preparations. Interestingly, many of these herbal substances are actually common food items and can be obtained quite readily from the grocery store. For example, ordinary cornsilk has medical properties that have been confirmed by recent research. It has been shown to be a diuretic, thereby lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Thus, it is used by Chinese practitioners as a remedy for diabetes. It is also prescribed for jaundice and kidney stones. One can make teas out of the silk obtained from corn on the cob. Another common food item is barley. You can make barley water by simmering 2 tablespoons barley in 2 cups of water for 1 hour, then straining and serving. This remedy has cooling properties and relieves dampness in the body (feeling of heaviness, sluggishness, edema). With the onset of of cold and 'flu season upon us, Chinses style chicken soup would be a great remedy to prepare for the whole household. Simmer cut chicken pieces with generous amounts of fresh minced ginger. In the last few minutes of cooking, add celery, parsley and green onions. In upcoming issues, we will cover the use of Chinese porridges (called congee) as herbal medicines, the traditional Asian diet, and nutritional recommendations for various ailments. Stay tuned! Source: Traditional Chinese Medicine by Carol Hart, Ph. D., and Magnolia Goh, L.Ac. (1998) Barbara Boss, Ph.D., L.Ac. (208) 659-9697 Newsletters|Biographies|Index|Glossary|Writer's Biography |
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