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Winter 2010
"The purpose of life is to live it, to
taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without
fear for newer and richer experience." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
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Mindful Breathing Enhances
Bodywork Benefits - Cathy
Ulrich
In The Moment Do
you think about the stresses in your life instead of where you are
at the moment. You’re in a safe space, receiving gentle,
supportive bodywork. And yet you can’t relax. By simply being
mindful of your breath, you can immediately feel your body and
become present with in the space. Many meditation traditions
use the breath to quiet the mind. With mindful breathing, we're
suddenly thrust into an awareness of our inner spaces and a feeling
that we actually do live in a body.
Reduce Pain - One of the
first things expectant mothers learn in natural childbirth classes
is breathing techniques to help control labor pain. By consciously
breathing during contractions, they learn to shift the feeling of
pain to just sensation. Often chronic pain sets up as a
vicious cycle of muscle tightness, impaired blood flow, and more
pain, even in areas distant from the original problem. When you
breathe to send the breath to the area of pain, you changed the
feeling of pain to simply sensation and this opened a door that
allows the massage to change the holding pattern in the
tissue.
Of course you can't physically breathe into an area of
the body, but the imagery of sending warm, healing breath into an
area from the inside while the therapist works on it from the
outside can change the relationship to the pain. Try this
simple technique yourself. As you tune into your breath, notice your
body. Is there discomfort or pain? Breathe in, and think of filling
your lungs with healing oxygen. Now breathe out, and imagine sending
this warm, healing oxygen directly to the place that hurts. Continue
gently breathing into the area for a few minutes. What does it feel
like now?
Relieve Stress - If
you talk about your stressful life, the shallower the breath
becomes. You are breathing high in the chest in short, rapid
breaths. The mind transports you back to a stressful life, even
though you are in a place where you are supported and encouraged to
take a break from that stress, putting the body into a
fight-or-flight response.
One clear manifestation of this is
rapid, shallow breathing. While stress can produce this breathing
pattern, the good news is that we can consciously change the
breathing pattern and reduce the stress. It works both ways.
Slow
your breathing and take deeper breaths, the tension in your face
softens. Your body relaxes on the table as if you were sinking into
the padding. Your feet will feel warmer, a sure sign that
circulation had changed and that the nervous system had switches
from fight or flight to the calming mode of rest and digest.
Try this for yourself. The next time you're feeling stressed, stop
for a moment and notice how you're breathing. Is your breath high in
your chest? Is it fast and shallow? Now, gently invite your breath
to slow down. Start to pull breath into your lungs by letting your
belly relax and expand as you inhale. Spend a few moments with
yourself and your breath and look at the stressful situation again.
Does it seem so bad now?
Your Massage -
Receiving a massage does involve participation on the client's part.
While the practitioner is the expert on the bodywork, the clients
are the experts on their bodies. In our culture, the
client/therapist relationship is often a check-your-body-at-the-door
affair. But so much more can happen when the client works with the
therapist. The next time you go for a massage, try these
suggestions to achieve mindful breathing and enhance the benefits of
your session:
- As you settle onto
the table, feel the weight of your body on the table and begin to
notice your breath.
- Feel your breath moving of its
own accord. Where is it most noticeable? Bring into the spaces that
feel less full (without effort--just invite).
- When your therapist starts working,
notice the pressure and rhythm. When your practitioner lets up on
the pressure, breathe in. When she/he applies pressure, breathe
out.
- If your practitioner comes to a
tender area, pay special attention to your breath. Work with the
tenderness on the exhale, imagining that you're breathing out the
pain.
- As your therapist works on different
areas, imagine your breath moving there to meet her. Send your
breath wherever she is working. Let her work on the outside, you
work on the inside.
- Notice the changes as the massage
progresses. Notice your thought patterns. Notice your comfort level.
Notice your stress (and how it melts) as you send breath to the
various areas of your body.
- When your session is complete and you
sit up, notice how your breath feels. What do you notice about your
body, the room, the light?
Why not use the life giving force of
breath to make your next massage an even more beneficial experience.
Just breathe.
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Health Benefits of Positive
Thinking
A study published in the Journal of
Circulation showed that a sunnier outlook on life is associated with
a lower risk of heart disease and mortality. Researchers found
that optimists were 9 % less likely to develop heart disease and 14
% less likely to die from any cause than their pessimistic
counterparts. There is good evidence that suggests optimism is
protective and that pessimism seems to be detrimental when it comes
to the development of disease and future outcomes.
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Omega-3
fats. These are among the most potent
anti-inflammatory foods. Best sources: fatty fish like salmon and
tuna; walnuts and other nuts; flaxseed; and canola
oil.
Colorful produce. Red onions,
tomatoes, broccoli, red grapes, berries, and oranges all are packed
with chemicals called flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory
properties.
Herbs and spices. Ginger and turmeric
either dried or fresh are among the most healthful spices. For
herbs, sprinkle on some fresh rosemary.
Chocolate and wine. Red wine has
anti-inflammatory chemicals like resveratrol. Dark chocolate-look
for 70 percent or higher cacao-protects against inflammation, and
research suggests that hot cocoa does
too.
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Two new studies of men have shown the
benefits of regular physical exercise for reducing prostate cancer,
lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer.
The first was a study conducted at the
Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. They found that men who get
the equivalent of three hours of moderate-intensity walking per week
were significantly less likely to have cancer. Among men who were
found to have cancer, had a far lower risk of having a high grade
disease if they got three to nine hours of moderate exercise a week,
such as fitness walking.
A study in Finland found a difference
between men who exercised at a moderate intensity (walking 3
to 3.5 mph) and those who exercised at a higher intensity (brisk
walking, jogging, and running). Exercising at a higher intensity was
associated with fewer cases of lung cancer and gastrointestinal
cancer. While an easy stroll might be a great way to start,
picking up the pace a few times a week has extra
benefits.
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Comfort Recipe: Mexican Chicken
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (20 ounce) jar salsa
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2
tablespoons chili powder
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 (15
ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Arrange the chicken pieces in a 3 quart casserole dish. Combine the
salsa, red bell pepper, cumin, lemon juice, chili powder and garlic.
Pour the mixture over the chicken. Pour the black beans on top and
cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Serve with
rice.
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