Balance

Osteopathy and Yoga: Looking at the body as a whole

James Uncategorized , , , , 1 Comment

image

Yoga and Osteopathy have a lot more in common than many people realise.

As I type up my final treatment notes, I realise I have but a few minutes before my 6:45pm yoga class begins.

I love the feeling I get after moving my body. Yet, as I settle into another child’s pose and begin to regulate my breathing, I know what keeps me coming back is the clarity of mind and connectedness with world around me, that practicing yoga brings.

As a medical and scientific community we are advancing rapidly.  The shear volume of information we are uncovering requires specialisation. To understand these complex interactions, scientists must isolate and examine the specifics of what is occurring. With such a narrow focus however, there is a tendency to lose sight of the body’s interconnectedness. The whole.

  The part can never be well unless the whole is well.

–

Plato

Yogic traditions date way back to ancient India in 1500 BCE and emphasise a unity of body, mind and spirit.

So why is unity important?

Everything is connected. Health is not segmented nor do body systems function in isolation. They talk to each other. Constantly feeding information back and forth in order to help the maintain balance.

How do we know this?

Examples are everywhere. People die from broken hearts, mental health effects chronic disease and having a purpose increases how long you live. Have you ever wondered why you feel so good after yoga? It’s not just only because you’ve given your muscles and connective tissue a good stretch. Studies suggest yoga also has positive effects on   cognition, respiration, reduced cardiovascular risk, BMI and blood pressure. People also report it helps to support emotional health by providing an environment that that is non-competitive and encourages positive thoughts and self-acceptance. A greater sense of well being is also attributed to creating a new awareness of one’s place in the world.

The essence of health is inner balance- Andrew Weil MD

Osteopathy shares this idea of unity and was bred out of frustration with the narrow view of medicine in the late 1800’s. Dr. AT Still astutely observed the self healing mechanisms evident throughout the natural world and developed principles around a system of hands on treatment to assist natures work.  Like yoga,  an osteopath’s aim is not to achieve a symptom-free state but rather healing or becoming whole.

Our instructor Tara stands elegantly in a tree pose with complete stillness as the rest of us  sway awkwardly in a non-existent breeze.

For an osteopath, to touch, means to listen and as they sit with gentle attention, the tissues begin to offer information. Information about their own individual history, trauma and strain. Treatment involves finding a balance within the strain pattern to allow the self correcting mechanisms of the body to work unimpeded and restore function in the whole.

 

Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well

–

Hippocrates

Both osteopathy and yoga have underpinning philosophies that highlight the importance of  freedom of movement, to be crucial for the body to best utilise it’s own self healing mechanisms. If injuries, strain or stress occur, a mechanical disruption of fluid flow, balanced tension or normal mobility may result; creating an environment where pain, dysfunction and disease may prosper. It is here that osteopathic treatment can help to assist the body towards resolving these issues, not only helping to deepen practice, but also improving overall function.

Upon completion of the class, I negotiate the blustery outdoor conditions and my growling stomach to make my way to the car.  Feeling very centred, I turn the key and begin to feel a dull ache through my right knee. Apparently it’s time I had a treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

Health is a balance

James Uncategorized , , 5 Comments
health-is-a-balance

Health is a balance. Our body has an innate drive to maintain balance. It makes constant adjustments internally, to meet demands placed on the system by external lifestyle stresses. By altering physiologic functions such as breath, heart rate and metabolism it is able to keep the internal environment within ideal parameters. Health is not a destination, we do not reach an end point of balance. It is fluid. The fulcrum on which balance has been established will constantly change, as demands placed upon us throughout life also change. We will no doubt encounter events which cause the body to deviate from its natural state as life stresses are unavoidable. While we often grow from adversity, if prolonged, the effects of stress, eating poorly or moving less, can lay the foundations for the disease process to set in.

Osteopaths have a unique way of looking at the body. Osteopathy is a tool for which to facilitate the bodies inherent desire for balance. By searching for where it has compromised from injury or strain and ensuring it’s motion and mechanics are unobstructed, the body is better able to return to health. It is no secret that a patient’s capacity to heal rests with their ability to maintain a balance of their internal environment. Those that succeed with this, look different and their body’s feel different. There is quality and fluidity in their movement and a vibrancy in how their tissues respond to treatment. They feel ‘healthy’ and the outcomes of treatment are far greater.

Health is rooted in the old english word ‘hælþ’, meaning wholeness. When science began to focus on structure and could see how disease affected normal tissue, through dissection and under a microscope, being healthy became an ‘absence of disease’. Now a person is no more healthy, in the absence of disease, then a tradesmen is without his tools. Without disease, we are simply not sick. We are declared ‘well’ when we no longer have the symptoms of being ‘unwell’, yet are often none the wiser for the cause that shifts the balance of health and provides an optimal environment for disease to begin.

“To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease” Dr. AT Still

In more recent times, research has enabled to us to establish the connection between mind and body, and so the meaning of health is once again, realigned with it’s original roots. Whole. Whole in the sum of it’s parts. Parts which are equal and parts which are balanced. Merriam-Webster defines health as ‘the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit’, which  I agree with almost entirely except the or because these are not seperate entities. They are interdependent, making up different but equal parts of the whole. Say you are sound in body and spirit but the mind is lacking, perhaps you are overly stressed or anxious. Muscles become tense, blood pressure rises, adrenals become over worked and nutrient absorption and hormone levels begin to be affected. Before long, the immune system becomes compromised and through a loss of internal balance, we become susceptible to disease.

A balanced life on the outside, makes it easier to maintain balance within. We are only healthy when balance exists between these parts, so one must continually devote time each day to each aspect of health. Neglecting oneand thus upsetting the balance of the internal environment, may lead to a permeation of ill health through the others. This makes us susceptible to disease, decrease vitality and reduces our bodies capacity to heal.

References

  1. “Definition Of HEALTH”. Merriam-webster.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 5 Mar. 2017.
  2. “Online Etymology Dictionary”. Etymonline.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 5 Mar. 2017.
  3. Sternberg, Esther. The Balance Within. 1st ed. New York: W.H. Freeman, 2001. Print.
  4. Still, A. T. The Philosophy And Mechanical Principles Of Osteopathy. Kirksville, Mo.: Osteopathic Enterprise, 1986. Print

Had a gutful? Try balancing it.

James Uncategorized , , , 0 Comment

Good vs Bad Bacteria

Hippocrates said “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” and since then, much literature has been published about the benefits of a well balanced diet. However, digestive health begins long before you can do anything about your own diet.

It all comes back to gut bacteria, a complex community of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. These micro-organisms out number cells in the body by 10 to 1! Typically there is a balance of ‘good bacteria’ and ‘bad bacteria’ in the gut. These bacteria form an intricate, living fabric of natural controls affecting body weight, energy production and disease process. They also aid in digestion by essentially cleaning out the gut so that everything keeps flowing. Not only that, recent studies have looked at how gut bacteria can have an effect on the the functioning and development of the immune and nervous systems.

Our first “inoculation” of good gut bacteria occurs as our eyes, nose, lips, and mouth slide through our mother’s birth canal. This transfer of flora plants the “seed” for the initial colonies that begin to populate the respiratory, urogenital, and gastrointestinal tracts. More and more babies are being deprived of this initial inoculation thanks to rising cesarean section rates. Once outside the womb, our mother’s breast milk helps to nourish certain bacteria in the gut during infancy.

Meds

Unfortunately many people have an imbalance between healthy microflora and disease causing microorganisms, thus setting the stage for illness. Here are a few lifestyle factors that can upset the balance of gut bacteria:

  • Antibiotic Use
  • Poor diet – Sugar, Excessive Grains, GMO foods
  • Stress
  • Increased over the counter meds (aspirins, mouth wash, antacids)
  • Increased use of cleansers and sanitizers
  • Chlorinated water and alcohol
  • Herbicide/pesticide use on produce
  • Surgeries, chemo and radiotherapy
  • Exposure to heavy metals and pollutants
  • Anti-depressants and sleeping pills
  • Artificial colouring

Do you have symptoms of unbalanced gut flora?

  • Constipation, bloating, gas or chronic diarrhea
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Menstrual complaints
  • Candida infection (e.g. thrush)
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Vitamin and mineral deficiency
  • Skin conditions including – acne, eczema and psoriasis
  • Psychological issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, OCD)

So mum does her best during the early stages of life, but she isn’t always going to be able to support us. There are ways in which we can help maintain this balance in the gut. Certain foods are rich in probiotics (good bacteria) that the body needs. Fermented foods for example, allow this ‘good’ bacteria to culture.

Probiotic Rich Foods

Saurkraut
Sauerkraut

 

  • Yoghurt
  • Miso Soup
  • Sauerkraut
  • Kombucha
  • Kefir
  • Pickles
  • Kimchi

But like all bacteria, probiotics need nutrition to survive. These are known as ‘prebiotics’. Prebiotics are essentially the food for probiotics.

Jeruselum Artichoke
Jerusalem Artichoke

Prebiotic Rich Food

  • Chicory Root
  • Dandelion Greens
  • Jerusalem Artichoke
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Leek
  • Asparagus
  • Banana
  • Honey (raw)

How much should you have?

No consensus exists about the minimum number of microorganisms that should be ingested for beneficial effects, however a minimum of a billion colonProbioticsy forming units (CFU’s) per day are suggested to maintain healthy gut bacteria concentration. Typically, a probiotic supplement contains several billion microorganisms to increase the likelihood of adequate gut colonisation. During periods of imbalance (i.e. a course of antibiotics) up to 10-20 billion CFU’s (depending on bacteria strain) can help to reduce symptoms. In addition to probiotics, five grams of prebiotic fibre per day is recommended. Remember that when you cook something it changes the composition, so best to have your prebiotics raw or minimally steamed for the greatest benefits.

Other ways to support your gut bacteria?

Just as plants prosper in nutritious soil full of micro-organisms, we to need these organisms to live a long, healthy life. I’m certainly not saying you should eat dirt but there are ways you can get similar benefits.

  • Don’t overdo it – just a rinse and roughly wash your organic produce, leaving a little bit of necessary dirt on your veggies.
  • Get down and dirty – spend some time outside and don’t be afraid to get dirty
  • Go bare foot – take your shoes off from time to time on the grass, dirt or sand
  • Get a pet – Animals provide a diverse number of micro-organisms that help your gut
  • Swim in the ocean – get benefits not only from the salt but also therapeutic microbes

If you’ve been battling with an illness or just haven’t been feeling quite right, lend your digestive system a helping hand and bring balance back to your gut. What have you got to lose?

 

References

  1. Reid G. Probiotics to Prevent the Need For, and Augment the Use Of Antibiotics. Canadian Journal of Infectious Disease and Medical Microbiology.2006;17(5):291-295
  2. Reid, Gregor et al. “Probiotic Lactobacillus Dose Required To Restore And Maintain A Normal Vaginal Flora”. FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology 32.1 (2001): 37-41. Web.
  3. Williams, N. T. “Probiotics”. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 67.6 (2010): 449-458. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  4. Yatsunenko, Tanya et al. “Human Gut Microbiome Viewed Across Age And Geography”. Nature (2012): n. pag. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  5. Bianconi, Eva et al. “An Estimation Of The Number Of Cells In The Human Body”. Annals of Human Biology 40.6 (2013): 463-471. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  6. Kormann, Carolyn et al. “Breast-Feeding The Microbiome – The New Yorker”. The New Yorker. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  7. Us, Write et al. “7 Signs Your Gut Bacteria Are Out Of Whack”. Paleo Blog. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  8. Axe, Josh. Eat Dirt. Print.
  9. “Digestion & Joint Health Tips & Vitamin Products | Dr. David Williams”. Dr. David Williams. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  10. “Top 10 Probiotic Foods To Add To Your Diet”. mindbodygreen. N.p., 2013. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  11. “Prebiotic Foods | Top 10 Foods Containing Prebiotics”. Prebiotin.com. N.p., 2010. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
  12. “Probiotics Benefits, Foods And Supplements – Dr. Axe”. Dr. Axe. N.p., 2014. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy