| September 2009 Vol 1, No 2 | |||||||||
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Riddle Challenge! Bring in the correct answers to the following question for a $10 discount on any single service in October: Name 10 parts of the human body which are spelled with just 3 letters. No slang or profane expressions can be used!
LADIES NIGHT OUT
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Get Fit At Home!A common problem most people face when it comes to exercise is what to do and how to do it. Have you ever walked into a gym and felt lost in the overwhelming amount of machinery? Have you ever used the same equipment as everyone else and thought: "I'm really bored." "Am I doing this right?" "Is this going to help me reach my fitness goals?" Chances are, if you are asking yourself these questions you really are bored, you are probably at risk of injury, and there is a more productive, efficient way for you to reach your optimum fitness level. Thus the real dilemma: what exercises are best for your personal fitness level and how do you reach your individual goals while managing your lifestyle? Exercising is not simple. Our bodies are complex and unique structures. Not everyone has the adaptation of a twenty year-old athlete. We are new moms, working professionals, recovering from injury, and chocolate addicts. So what do we do? Fitness instructor, Christina Bobonski's clients have found that the most effective way to exercise regularly is with a personalized home exercise program. This program allows them the time and flexibility to exercise in a comfortable setting without the disturbance of the gym environment. First, they receive a complimentary fitness assessment to identify their current physical ability level. Based on their assessment we distinguish their strengths and weakness, their likes and dislikes. Together, we create an appropriate, customized workout that does not require elaborate equipment. The hands on training allows them to learn and practice the correct exercise techniques so they may imitate those same movements on their own. Building a custom home program not only allows you to learn specialized moves to fit your body type, but will also help you become skilled at movement technique and progression to allow your body to successfully improve at a safe rate. The best part is that you are getting in shape and stronger in the comfort your own home, on your own schedule, which makes you more likely to sustain this healthier lifestyle. Now that is simple! Home exercise programs are not only smart and simple, but affordable too. Every two to four weeks, depending on how fast your body improves, you come back and we build on your previous program. Instead of spending wasted dollars on monthly gym charges, expensive diet products, or overpriced personal trainers, every few weeks you can invest into a take-home program. The next time you are at home, sitting on the couch, consider scheduling with Christina to learn about the possible exercises you can be doing on your own to lose weight, build muscle, increase energy, burn fat, and be healthier! | ||||||||
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For most of our patients in the Silicon Valley the work climate is full of high pressure and even higher expectations, leaving one to prioritize job retention and family income over their health. But what if showing up at work, in any shape, could be costing you your job? The concept is presenteeism, the opposite of absenteeism. Presenteeism describes the impact on productivity when dedicated employees show up for work, whether feeling lousy or not. Presenteeism can be more costly than being completely absent and it is more of a widespread problem than ever before. So maybe you'll stay home if you have a contagious illness, but what about common complaints such as daily headaches, wrist discomfort, neck stiffness and strain, or nagging lower back stiffness and pain from daily viewing of monitors? These ongoing issues actually drain your energy and lower productivity because part of your brain registers you aren't at full capacity. |
How can you effectively manage this problem? The June 2009 issue of Natural Magazine named chiropractic as the number one treatment for back pain. Cited was research conducted by the Clinical Orthopedic and Related Research (March 2006), which looked at chiropractic vs. other bodywork including massage and medication or rest and found chiropractic to be better (or as good) than each of these therapies. It has the enhanced effects of reducing stress, helping with fatigue, and improving your body's overall function because it focuses on the spine, thereby reducing restricted function of the nerve roots and blood flow.
As if that wasn't enough, chiropractic has been shown to boost a country's productivity. In Utah Worker's Compensation Study published by the Journal of Occupational Medicine (1991), the number of days lost from work was nearly 10 times lower for worker's receiving chiropractic treatment as compared to the ones receiving medical care.
But how can you be savvy about your work position without spending a fortune? Most of our chiropractic patients self-refer to our office and take advantage of our pre-paid programs to significantly reduce out-of-pocket cost in order to receive affordable care for these musculoskeletal complaints. In addition many of our active patients fit in appointments during lunch hours or after work so they can quickly and efficiently stop a problem before it stops them.
If you've been one of those people placing work before your health, it is time to take that step to nurturing your health so it works for you!
Comparing Reflexology Methods - The Ingham Method® Difference
Many folks have asked about reflexology offered at spas and storefront mall reflexology locations compared with Ingham Method® which we practice. Having experienced all types, here are the differences as we see them:
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Certified Ingham Method |
Spa |
Mall |
| Require an intake questionnaire. This helps us understand your health conditions, medications and concerns before treatment and enables us to determine particular reflexology protocols to address your issues. | May ask what you'd like to focus on but typically will not ask for information regarding medical conditions or medications. | Typically do not ask anything. |
| Keep session records, known as SOAP notes (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) to document treatment findings, what you tell us about your reactions, as well as to record progress and areas for future focus. | Typically do not keep session records. | Typically do not keep session records. |
| Work reflexes in multiple directions to detect stress cues and optimally clear congestion and restore circulation to the glands and organs. Will work entire foot including shafts of toes, top and bottom of foot and all critical pinpoint reflexes. | Typically only work some areas in a single direction. May work great toe and nominally address lesser toes. Typically does not fully address all pinpoint reflexes. | Typically only work some areas of the foot in a single direction.Typically does not fully work shafts of toes, except great toe. Typically does not fully address all pinpoint reflexes. |
| Use relaxation, pressure, stretching, joint movement, thumb- and finger-walking techniques. Discomfort, which fades as congested area is worked, may occur depending on your condition, but pressure is adjusted to your level of tolerance. You are relaxed during and at end of session. Technique clears congestion in nerve endings and improves circulation. Use defined protocols on certain reflexes to address specific conditions. | Typically use techniques similar to massage rubbing, kneading or probing motions, sometimes may use stretching and joint movement. Generally do not use thumb- or finger-walking technique. Generally adjust pressure so it isn't painful. Relaxation typically during and at end of session. Technique generally will improve circulation but may not address congestion in nerve endings. Typically no use of protocols. | Typically use extremely heavy pressure, often digging in with knuckles or hitting reflexes with a fisted hand. May be uncomfortable and even painful. Generally do not use thumb- or finger-walking technique. Technique may clear congestion in some reflexes, however, too much pressure can also create severe soreness or lead to injury. Discomfort from heavy pressure throughout session may prevent relaxation and its healing effects. |
| Use no tools, oils or lotions. May assist you to clean your feet if necessary. | Typically uses massage oil or lotion. May provide footbath or parafin dip prior to session. | Typically uses strong disinfectant or herbal footbath prior to session. |
| Only fingers and thumbs are used to provide appropriate pressure and addressing of the reflexes. | Generally uses fingers and hands, but may also use elbows. | Generally uses fingers, knuckles, fists, and may use elbows or tools. May use karate-chop motion with edge of hand. |
| May instruct you in self-help homework between sessions to help continue clearing nerve congestion and maintain increased circulation. This decreases time to achieve your improvement goals. | May suggest stretches or other movements to assist you in working on problem areas. | Usually don't provide self-help suggestions. |
| Trained and certified by the International Institute of Reflexology, the world's leading authority, and also an American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB) accredited school. | Typically trained in reflexology as a sub-specialty at a massage school that is not ARCB accredited. | Typically trained in reflexology at a massage or a reflexology school in another country that is not ARCB accredited. |
As you can see, there really is a difference between the methods. Selecting an Ingham Method® practitioner insures you are receiving Reflexology from someone truly trained in the modality who takes a clinical approach to helping you. Call us today for your reflexology appointment and don't miss out on the World Reflexology Week discount by booking the week of September 20 - 26th!
Natural Alternatives to Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Most of us are familiar with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) also called "computer wrist". In his book The Natural Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dr. Ray C. Wunderlich, Jr., details numerous causes of CTS other than the repetitive motion cause that most of us know about. Dr. Wunderlich states CTS should be viewed as a repair deficit, and that the body's failure to repair the problem can be due to inadequate raw materials needed for the repair such as Vitamin C, glucosamine, amino acids, manganese, etc. He also tells us that stress can be a cause. Stress leads to tight muscles, which are usually accompanied by a relative lack of blood supply and an inordinate build-up of waste products such as lactic acid. He also provides information on pseudo-CTS which has its origin not in the wrist, but in the neck, shoulder, or arm. Many people even have surgery for CTS but still retain the symptoms because their problem was truly pseudo-CTS and surgery was done prior to trying other methods which might have better addressed the issue.
Dr. Wunderlich's book emphasizes working with a conventional medical practitioner in order to properly diagnose CTS; however he also cites a wide range of treatment options that are non-surgical. These include:
- Workplace adjustments such as building in stretch breaks and exercises, ergonomic verification and making sure vision is properly corrected.
- Physical fitness for both its conditioning and therapeutic power (but not until acute inflammation is successfully eliminated).
- Nutritional measures to insure that dietary deficiencies are not part of the cause.
- Glandular treatment which may be a contributor to the cause in some people.
- Physical and neuromuscular therapies including massage, application of hot and cold packs, and herbal poultices.
- Microcurrent electrical stimulation which can promote healing of nerves and calm inflammation.
- Chiropractic.
- Acupuncture or acupressure.
- Reflexology.
He also suggests nutitional medicine be considered in lieu of the anti-inflammatory drugs that most physicians recommend. While drugs can suppress the inflammation that causes pain, many persons have gastrointestinal side effects including chronic gastritis or ulcers and these medications many also contain fillers, sugars and other contents which add to the body's burden of foreign chemicals and can actually impede tissue repair. Finally, he urges initial conservative, natural therapies such as those defined above and suggests reserving surgery only for those patients who fail to respond to natural therapies.
If you or someone you know is struggling with CTS symptoms, please share this information and suggest they consider some of the recommended non-surgical alternatives we offer at RHWC. We're always pleased to work together with the client's medical doctor to define a treatment program.
