exercise

Walking and other weight bearing exercise is the best way to prevent osteoporosis. In one recent study, healthy women, with an average age of 69, began an exercise program that included strength training, stair climbing, walking, and calisthenics, three times a week, for 32 weeks, boosted their bone density by 11%. That’s better than any drug could do.

Of course, that was more than just walking, but other studies have shown that walking, alone can boost bone density by lower, but healthful amounts. The studies also find that balance is improved and people are less likely to fall, which is very good for the bones, too.

If you work in an office building, take the stairs as much as you can. Use the restroom on a different floor, and take the stairs there. There are many ways to fit more walking and stair climbing into your day. Of course, if you are retired, you should have time for a good exercise program. It is never too late too start. Doing a combination of exercises, as mentioned above is the best way to keep the bones strong. Exercise has many other healthful benefits for our minds and bodies as well.

I became interested in Pete Egoscue’s work when a number of people I knew started benefiting from therapists trained by him. When I started reading his book, Pain Free, I realized he came from the same assumption that I come from, in treating pain. If the body’s structure is out of alignment, eventually there will be pain. If you correct the structure, the pain and related symptoms will go away, in most cases. The Egoscue method treats structural imbalances through exercise therapy.

After three chapters explaining how and why his method works, he goes through the body, in detail, from foot to head. He gives a set of exercises, he calls them menus, for pain in each area. I think that “recipe” is a better word than menu. You do not pick and choose your exercises, and it is important to do them in the correct order. Each exercise builds on the previous one, and you get faster results if the hips are aligned first. The pelvis is the foundation of the body, and it is usually at the center of the problem, wherever the symptoms might be. Once the pelvis is aligned, other parts of the body fall back into place.

“The Egoscue Method is unique in recognizing that therapy programs succeed only when they treat the body as a closely integrated unit.” That may be true in exercise therapy, but Chinese Medicine also agrees with that statement. Often I have seen physical therapy fail for that very reason. There is too much emphasis on the site of pain with out taking into consideration all of the underlying factors.

Pain Free is a very readable and very practical book. Most people who read it and do the exercises get great results. If you buy it and it does not work for you, don’t throw out the Egoscue Method. A book can not see all of your dysfunctions. Pete has treated thousands of people, so he knows the most likely scenarios for any given symptom, but you are unique. I have known many people to benefit from doing the exercises in the book, and I have known some people who needed more individualized treatment. The book is cheaper, so try it out first. It is also an enjoyable and educational read.

Anthony Robbins said, “This book is extraordinary, and I am thrilled to recommend it to anyone who’s interested in dramatically increasing the quality of their physical health.”

Deepak Chopra said, “Pain Free is based on a very sound understanding of human physiology. It shows how we can break the circuit of pain and naturally heal one of the most significant disabilities of our time.”

In Canada, you can buy Pain Free: a Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain here.

In the USA you can buy Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain here.

I got an email to day about this subject. I am a little wary to post about it in general, because severe depressioin needs medical treatment. So, as long as you are under a physician’s care, you can, with his consent try my suggestions. If you have mild or moderate depression it is much less critical.

In general depression can be relieved with the same suggestions as I gave in my last post about PMS. For most people the underlying problems are the same. However I would focus more on exercise. 30 to 40 minutes a day of moderate aerobic exercise, can greatly reduce the symptoms of depression, as well as anxiety and other emotional problems.

Mindfulness training may be more effective than deep relaxation for depression. I would check out Jon Kabat-Zinn’s CDs for that.

Saint John’s Wort has proven to be an effective herb in relieving mild to moderate depression, but current research suggests that it may be less effective for severe depression. More research is needed there.

I recommend a book called Potatoes not Prozac. It looks at the role diet plays in balancing our mood chemicals.

Finally, I would like to return to the importance of attitude. Humor is so important in keeping a healthy state of mind. Laugh a lot and it’s harder to be depressed. Also, regularly focusing on gratitude is a great antidote. Every morning before you get out of bed, and every night before you go to sleep, focus on all the things you are grateful for in your life. Don’t just do it routinely, really feel the gratitude. Enjoy what you have.

Chinese Medicine has an excellent success rate in treating PMS and other disorders related to the menstrual cycle, including menopausal symptoms. PMS, however, can usually be treated with lifestyle changes. It is related, to a large degree, to stress. So, many of the recommendations I give here are generally applicable to most people in our society today.

In Chinese Medicine the various energy systems are named after one of the internal organs they are related to. So when I am talking about the Liver throughout this post, don’t think I am necessarily talking about the actual Liver organ.

The Liver, according to Chinese Medicine, is responsible for the free flow of energy throughout the body, and it is responsible for cyclical events in the body, including the menstrual cycle. Stress, frustration, and emotional suppression are the main disruptors of the Liver. Deep relaxation is probably the most important antidote. Ideally you should spend 20 minutes twice a day in deep relaxation, especially if you are having symptoms. Once a day is fine for maintenance. To the meditators who are reading this: although meditation is a great way to de-stress, it is not usually a great way to attain a deep state of relaxation. Try different forms of guided relaxation. Some people respond best to visualizations, and some best to conscious relaxation of each muscle. If you are interested, I have made a CD with three different, 20 minute guided relaxation sessions on it. Most likely, one of the three would work for you. Contact me at edward@prhealthworks.ca.

The second most important thing you can do for yourself is exercise. 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, 3 days a week, will improve the Liver’s ability to maintain a free flow of energy.

The third thing is make a few dietary changes. Avoid difficult to digest foods, as well as foods that affect the Liver, such as caffeine, alcohol, greasy foods, and processed foods with preservatives, and other artificial ingredients. Also most drugs, including over the counter medicines and recreational drugs, have a heavy impact on the Liver.

Following these guidelines, most women will be symptom free, within 2 months. If you are not symptom free within 3 months, I suggest you find a competent acupuncturist or practitioner of Chinese herbology.