GCNM Study Abroad Opportunity March 2010
Come join us for this inaugural study abroad program for the Global College of Natural Medicine. We are headed to the tropical island of Roatan, Honduras. It is here that we will have the opportunity to meet with a local island "witch" doctor who practices herbal medicine, hike the "bush" for indigenous medicinal plants, and partake in lectures from a local island woman that has 60 acres of land dedicated to growing and cultivating the local flora. In addition, Jackie Christensen, BS HHP NC MH will provide 12 hours of workshops, where we will participate in making a variety of medicinal remedies beginning with a harvest ceremony.
GCNM Study Abroad Brochure
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Trigger Point Therapy
By Jackie Christensen, BS, HHP, NC, MH
Faculty Member of GCNM
Trigger point therapy or myofascial trigger point therapy is a bodywork technique that involves applying pressure to tender muscle tissue to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body. Various techniques of trigger point therapy have been formed with every new revelation, evolving from deep massage to the needle therapies. Dr. Janet Travel, President Kennedy’s physician in the 1940s, found that many sufferers of myofascial pain had active points in predictable locations. Dr. Janet Travel was the first to map trigger point locations and she found that by treating these points the pain would cease and muscle function could be restored.
Trigger points are areas in a muscle that are tightly contracted. This contracted area restricts blood flow. The restriction of blood flow causes the muscle to become nutrient starved and accumulate a build-up of waste products. This can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the muscle. There are two basic types of trigger points: active and latent. Active trigger points cause muscular pain and will refer pain and tenderness to another area of the body when pressure is applied. Latent trigger points only exhibit pain when compressed and do not refer pain to other areas of the body. Latent trigger points are believed to be one of the causes of stiff joints and restricted range of motion of old age.
Trigger points may be the result of birth trauma, an injury or accident, poor posture, or overexertion. Although a variety of stresses might predispose a person to getting more trigger points, trigger points are quite capable of existing independently of any obvious underlying problem. In a sense, they are a natural and inevitable part of muscle tissue.
The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate pain and to re-educate the muscles into pain free habits. After several treatments, the swelling and stiffness of neuromuscular pain is reduced, range of motion is increased, tension is relieved, and circulation, flexibility and coordination are improved. A professional can perform trigger point therapy or if one is not available you can perform trigger point therapy on yourself.
To perform trigger point therapy on yourself you may need a tool, such as a tennis ball or knobble massager, however you can also use your hands. Get in a comfortable position and use your tool to probe the area were you are feeling discomfort. If you find an area that is hard or ropey, it is usually a trigger point. Find the center of that trigger point and use moderate pressure to press on it. When you press on a trigger point you will feel numbness or tingling in the area you are pressing. Press on it at moderate pressure for ten seconds. Release the pressure for two seconds. Then press on it again for ten. Repeat this cycle for no longer then two minutes or until the pain in the area eases. Trigger points are usually grouped together in an area, so not far from the first one, you’ll find another, then continue the process for all the trigger points in that area. It is important to remember that trigger point therapy releases stored toxins and can sometimes make you feel nauseous. Therefore if you are feeling sick stop and be sure to drink plenty of water before and after your treatment.
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Book Review
The Naturopathic Way, How to Detox, Find Quality Nutrition, and Restore Your Acid-Alkaline Balance
By Christopher Vasey, N.D.
Christopher Vasey, N.D, originally wrote the Naturopathic Way in 2007 in French. Dr. Vasey lives near Montreax, in Switzerland. He is a naturopathic doctor and the author of the bestseller The Acid Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health, in addition to The Detox Mono Diet, The Water Prescription, and The Whey Prescription.
As a naturopathic doctor, the focus of his methods is to balance the body systems by cleansing the biological terrain, the body’s internal cellular environment, and ridding the body of the toxicity that causes disease. This is accomplished with the use of various natural interventions including nutrition, hydration, psychology, physical exercise, respiration, plant therapies, reflexology, light therapy, and manual and energetic techniques.
Naturopathy’s foundation is built on the great ancient medical traditions of the Sumerians, the Essenes, the science of life from India called Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Native American and Tibetan practices, and the teachings of the Greek Hippocrates. Naturopathy endeavors to determine disease through serology, the science of disorders of the bodily fluids; vitalism, which is the study of the capabilities of our vital energy; prevention through maintaining a healthy lifestyle and connection to the natural world; causalism, using a methodical approach to determine the origin or cause of imbalances and disorders; and holism, how the individual relates to and interacts with the environment they live in.
In naturopathy, disease is seen as a manifestation of symptoms in several locations that are actually coming from one single deep rooted cause stemming from the toxicity of the biological terrain, the bodily fluids including those inside each cell and the fluids surrounding the cells, and the blood, lymph and cerebrospinal fluids. Naturopathy therefore uses natural interventions and works to improve the biological terrain and supports the body’s natural ability to heal. This is a sharp contrast to allopathic medicine in which disease is seen as an outside attacker, identified by diagnosis of symptoms and treated with a specific remedy which suppresses those symptoms, acting in opposition to the natural ability of the human body’s vital forces to intrinsically heal itself.
The science of naturopathy believe there to be two types of toxins, crystals and colloidal wastes. Crystals are believed to be a result of the metabolism of proteins, sugars and acidifying foods and affect the excretory organs responsible for their elimination, the kidneys and sweat glands. Colloidal wastes are believed to be produced by the metabolism of starches and fats and affect the organs responsible for their elimination, the liver, gall bladder, intestines, sebaceous glands and the lungs. When these toxins are present in the body in excess, they are thought to be a cause of the imbalances in the biological terrain. Insufficient breakdown and metabolism of foods creates toxicity due to the storage of excess wastes and poor elimination, insufficient oxygenation due to sedentary lifestyles, and deficiencies of vital nutrients required for regeneration proper functioning. Nutritional deficiencies cause the body to function much less efficiently and lessen the ability to eliminate wastes properly. Causes of deterioration of the biological terrain are excesses of toxins including urea, uric acid, and toxin-creating substances, such as tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and food additives, such as colorings, and preservatives, environmental poisons, such as lead and cadmium and deficiencies of water, oxygen, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
The first intervention of naturopathy is to detoxify the body, freeing it from toxins and accumulating wastes. Various methods of stimulating elimination are used to clear the organs involved in cleansing, the liver, intestines, kidneys, skin and the respiratory tract. The author provides an abundance of explanations of the methods used in naturopathy and the outcomes one will observe of this detoxification process. Here he quotes Hippocrates in saying that "Medicine is the art of initiating the healing procedures of nature."
The second intervention in naturopathy is to balance and correct the environment of the biological terrain by providing the nutrients needed to stimulate recovery to reinstate the natural balance. Providing the body with the nutrients it is lacking, such as essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins and trace elements will restore the mental and physical integrity as the body is revived. Eating the right organic whole foods, and supplementing correctly may deal with these deficiencies. The author suggests the use of restorative substances, such as bee or flower pollen, royal jelly, brewer’s yeast, sprouts, seaweeds, and surprisingly, certain shellfish, to restore the vital force more quickly, explaining that it is because they provide these substances in abundance.
There is an interesting dialogue about what makes remedies effective. The belief is to apply the remedy but in the context that it does not heal the conditions, that the innate healing powers lay within the body and are referred to as the vital forces, called the medicalizing nature in ancient healing practices, and called the immune response in our modern era. Therefore, simply put, we must remember that the remedy aids in healing by its ability to stimulate the vital forces within us.
Disease states are discussed in terms of the four stages. The first stage is when we are given the warning signals that something is out of balance within us. Examples given are loss of enthusiasm, temporary indisposition, unusual difficulty in recovering from physical exertion, skin eruptions or loss of sheen of the skin and hair, and digestive disorders. The second stage is believed to be the acute stage, when the ability to tolerate further build up of toxins is reached and "violent and spectacular" events accompanied by fever, such as in the case of flu, with eruptions presenting throughout the body. Acute stage events are usually short in duration but intense due to the body’s natural efforts to restore balance at this point. The third stage is believed to be the point at which the disease becomes chronic and recurring, with the body’s toxic load being so great that it overcomes the vital force within. Examples given are recurring bronchitis, eczema or liver trauma. The fourth stage is recognized as the vital force struggling to save the life of the individual in a restricted environment, with the bodily fluids heavily saturated with toxic substances and wastes that the body has been unable to eliminate. At this stage there is no resolve to the disease state except by deep cleansing of the biological terrain, removal of all probably sources of further exposure to toxicity and impediments to proper and thorough elimination of wastes.
While this book is only 126 pages long including the glossary of terms used in naturopathy, it is packed with great information and is a highly recommended book for all who wish to acquire a more complete understanding of a truly holistic approach to health and healing, to learn the language, concepts, practices and applications of naturopathy. I am very pleasantly surprised at the shift in my perspective and increased understanding of naturopathy gained from this book. I had previously felt I was quite knowledgeable in this aspect of holistic health practices and now feel truly enlightened by this gift of knowledge from Dr. Vasey.
Reviewed By Moira Khouri NC, MH, HHP, CCP
Faculty Member of GCNM
Exercise of the Month
Exercise Description: Warming Up
– Why and how can I warm–up properly?
Target Muscle: ALL
Instructions:
The purpose of a warm-up is to increase blood flow to the muscles and elevate muscle temperature. Warming–up can reduce the risk of muscle and tendon injuries.
You can get creative with your warm–up as long as you follow these basic guidelines:
- The duration of the warm–up should be between 5 and 10 minutes
- Move all major muscle groups during the warm–up
To meet the guidelines above you could:
- Using a piece of cardio–equipment at a low intensity/speed
- On a treadmill you can jog slowly.
- On a stationary bicycle, you could cycle slowly.
- Engage in low intensity calisthenics such as,
- Jumping jacks
- Jumping Rope
Motivational Article
7 Ways to Conquer Procrastination!
By: Swanie Brandt
Do you find yourself constantly juggling deadlines, never seeming to be able to "catch up"? Do you put off starting new projects because you are so far behind on existing projects? Are there times when you just want to find a time machine to give yourself more hours in a day to finally get on top of all your projects?
You are suffering from Procrastination! Procrastination is the largest contributor to lost productivity and missed deadlines there is. If you want to get out of your procrastination sinkhole, here are seven steps to help you become a productive, reliable and calm person.
1. Create daily schedules – This is so important! Create a daily schedule for yourself, which outlines routine tasks that must be done on each day. We always have tasks that must be completed by a certain time. By setting up a specific time of day or week to complete these tasks, you will no longer have them hanging over your head, nor will you have to worry that you could inadvertently forget about them, and their deadlines would come and go. Use a journal, organizer, or calendar to help you plan and schedule your tasks so you can start them promptly and finish them on time.
2. Long–term goals list – Take time when you will not be interrupted and make a list of the projects that have been assigned to you or that you want to tackle but just never seem to be able to fit into your day. Ask yourself some very important questions for each item: Will this bring value to my life or job? Am I doing this because it is easy and I want to or because it will bring value? Should I delegate this item to someone else? Be sure to take into consideration all the people included or affected by the project. After you have made your list, prioritize it.
3. Start thinking proactively – As soon as you receive an assignment or decide on a project, start planning how you will complete that task. Take out your calendar and set mini-deadlines. If there are other people involved in the project, coordinate with them and set up the schedule together.
4. Break large projects into smaller ones – The larger the project, the harder it is for people to get started simply because they are overwhelmed and they don’t know where to start. At the beginning of the project, take time to break the project down into its basic elements. If other people are involved, work together to identify each sub-element. It is important to remember that some sub-elements may rely on the completion of other projects or sub-elements done by other people. Now is the time to make your schedule with everyone’s input.
5. Review your progress and schedule periodically – Set up a time, either by yourself if you are the only one working on the project, or with others involved to review your progress and schedule. It may be necessary at this point to make changes to the schedule based on your progress so far. Don’t insist on sticking to a schedule that is unreasonable, your chances of a successful completion are much greater if you remain vigilant but flexible.
6. Reward yourself – It is important to reward yourself after completing difficult tasks, even if it was only one of the many tasks in the overall project. Small rewards are important to keep everyone involved and to stay motivated. Everyone likes to have a treat once in awhile, and this is a great time to do that. You can base the type of reward on the difficulty of the tasks completed.
7. Be kind to yourself – If you are like most people, you didn’t become a procrastinator overnight, and you won’t stop procrastinating overnight either. There will be times when you fall off the wagon and find yourself in a crisis situation again. That’s ok. Just take a moment to reassess and learn from your mistake. Get right back on it and don’t look back. Remember, you are getting rid of bad habits and are setting up new, beneficial ones. Habits take time (at least 25 to 30 days) to be established.
Although it may seem like a daunting task, you can conquer procrastination by consistently following the steps outlined above. This is something that is definitely achievable.
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Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Search online for values in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
