Upcoming Events (visit the events page for details):
How to Avoid Common Running Injuries
Wednesday, September 16
6:30pm
As the new school year approaches and our lives begin to have more of a schedule, many of us are starting or changing our exercise programs. Come to our talk on September 16th at 6:30pm to learn about how to avoid common running injuries. This talk will be of interest to personal trainers as well as weekend athletes, because of the unique perspectives our practitioners have to offer. Dr. Colling will discuss biomechanics and how you can change your way of training to optimize your performance and prevent injuries. Kirstin Schumaker will offer her expertise on muscle, fascia and neural patterns, how these can alter gait and joint alignment, and how you can recognize and change some of these patterns to improve your running form. From joint pains to muscle aches and everything in between it will be covered in this talk. Please bring questions and we'll enjoy a fun interaction that will help lead us all to an injury free fall season.
Prepare NOW for Cold and Flu Season
Augusta Swift, N.D.
Do you find yourself getting colds throughout the fall and winter? Do you sometimes wonder why some people remain healthy while others are constantly plagued with the winter cold? Do you want to prevent yourself from catching the common cold or even the swine flu this winter? There are things to do, and the more you prepare in advance the better off you will be this winter.
Why do some people tend to get sick and others do not, despite being exposed to the same pathogens? It is because each individual’s immune system, one’s terrain, is different. It is not only the exposure to bacteria and viruses that cause people to become sick, but it is due to a weakness in one’s own internal balance and defenses. We must work to build up our internal resistance and balance our organ systems to prevent getting sick in the first place.
So what is terrain? Our terrain is our internal resistance to disease, which is primarily dependent on our innate immune system and our barriers. Our barriers are our skin, lungs, gastrointestinal system and kidneys. They are the ways we interact with the outside world, allowing things to enter into our body or keeping things out. Additionally, nearly 70% of our immune system takes place in our gastrointestinal system. Having healthy barrier systems has a tremendous effect on the immune system and our resistance to external pathogens.
Rather than waiting until you become sick, you can work to promote health and balance in these systems. Each person is different in terms of their homeostasis and imbalances in the body. As a result each person should be addressed individually, however there are certain lifestyle habits that are the foundation for optimizing normal physiologic function of these organs in all humans. The most important habit is to breathe deeply so that you fully inhale and exhale and that you breathe clean fresh air. Secondly, we must drink adequate amounts of water to allow the body to detoxify and our kidneys to filter waste from our body (1/2 ounce/body pound). A healthy, anti-inflammatory diet full of fruits, vegetables of all colors and lean proteins is essential. Exercise is a great way to enhance the immune system and promote health in the body. And sleep! It is essential that we get adequate amounts of sleep nightly as sleep is a time when our body is able to repair, detoxify and restore itself. Additionally, our sleep cycle plays a significant role in the regulation of our hormones. Other things to do or take to promote health in the body and prevent colds and flus include probiotics, castor oil packs and having a consistent daily routine.
What to do when you DO get sick? First of all, signs of being sick are actually signs that your immune system is working and doing its job. Taking things (medicines) to quickly make your symptoms disappear does not allow your immune system to function properly and may have a suppressive effect in the long run. Having a healthy strong immune response is a sign of good vitality and should be encouraged. We want to support our body’s natural immune system by enhancing elimination, promoting fever, sleeping, fasting and drinking lots of water. Encouraging the body to defend itself by allowing the immune system to function will strengthen your system as a whole and allow you to prevent future colds and flus. Additionally, there are many treatments for when people do get sick to enhance the normal function of the immune system and help the body to rebalance such as hydrotherapy, homeopathy, and botanical medicine.
Ideally, NOW is the time to prepare for cold and flu season, so bring your family in today to learn more specifically how naturopathic medicine can enhance you and your children’s immune systems to prevent getting sick this winter!
Autumn Awaits: Prepare Your Immune System from a Chinese Perspective
Mae Costello, L.Ac.
As we begin the transition from summer into fall, thoughts of preparing for cold and flu season are in the air. A healthy immune system is what protects us from cold and flu viruses. In fact, if our immunity is strong and the body’s energy is in balance, we will not become ill even when exposed to viral pathogens.
Homeostasis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) means a balanced state of health. When the body is in balance all the organs and energies are functioning properly and there is an absence of pain and illness. In TCM, each organ system has its own specific purpose in regulating bodily processes. When our organs are healthy, they support our bodies’ normal functions, including immune function. When the organs are not functioning properly, illness occurs.
Defensive Qi, also called Wei Qi, is the body’s primary defensive energy. The Lungs play a central role in creating and circulating Defensive Qi. The air we breathe and nourishment we receive from eating a healthy diet combine to create Wei Qi. Our ability to digest and absorb nutrition is dependent on the function of the Stomach and Spleen. Thus, healthy Lung Qi and Spleen/Stomach Qi are crucial for healthy immunity. If the Qi of the Lung, Spleen or Stomach is weak, Wei Qi will also be deficient, and immune function will be low. Illness could then occur due to the relative weakness of the body’s Qi in relation to the pathogenic factor at that particular time.
The lungs are considered to be the most “exterior” organ because air from the outside world enters them directly. They are the first organ affected by exposure to pathogenic factors like wind, cold, heat, and dampness. What western science calls viruses or allergens is known in TCM as wind-heat, Wind-cold, wind-damp, etc. Dampness can manifest symptomatically as phlegm. Wind can manifest as skin rashes; heat and damp as skin lesions that itch or weep. The state of the skin is one way to evaluate the functioning of the immune system. If skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, or rashes are present, we can conclude that the Defensive Qi is deficient. Likewise, low immunity is what causes many of us to catch frequent colds or to have chronic lung conditions like bronchitis, asthma and allergies.
Prevention of illness and allergies can be accomplished by restoring healthy function of the Lung, Spleen and Stomach energies. Since most people suffer from syndromes of deficiency, regular acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs are used to build up the body’s natural immune defenses and enhance immune function. Chinese medicine focuses on mobilizing our own innate healing power to re-establish strong immune function and prevent us from being ill during flu season.
HIPS: The Powerhouse to the Entire Body
Kevin Colling, D.C.
The hips provide power to the entire body. When they are working correctly they are your best friend, but when they are inhibited they quickly become your worst enemy. The hips affect joints as far away as the elbow and the ankle. An improperly functioning hip can easily contribute to low back pain (disc bulges/herniations), knee injuries (ACL, tendonitis), shoulder injuries (impingement, rotator cuff) and elbow injuries (tennis and golfer’s elbow).
The hip joint is a tremendously mobile yet stable joint. It connects the femur (thigh bone) to the pelvis via a deep cup called the acetabulum. It has 17 of the thickest, strongest muscles attached to it and these muscles are held together by fascia which functionally links the hips to pretty much the entire rest of the body. The secret behind the power of the hip is its ability to load and unload in all three planes of motion. This allows the hip to control motion of the kinetic chain. Let’s use the knee as an example of how the hip has an effect down the kinetic chain. Most traditional rehabilitation stresses the quadriceps and the hamstrings, but these muscles really only control knee motion when the knee is flexed close to 90 degrees. This excludes them from being the primary stabilizer during everyday activities like walking. The hip muscles, on the other hand, are well designed to control the three dimensional motion of the knee because they are oriented to slow down the motion of internal rotation, adduction and flexion of the knee. This takes tension off the ligaments of the knee (especially the ACL).
Now let’s look at an example of how the hip has effects up the kinetic chain. The hip helps protect the rotator cuff of the shoulder and the ligaments of the elbow. In this case it’s the muscles in the front of the hip that do the work. Namely, the iliopsoas, abdominals and adductors… When I see tennis players with elbow pain in my office, I always examine their hips. This is because they play a significant roll in stabilizing the body for movement. To see how the hips influence the shoulder stand up and take a long step forward with your left leg and then raise your right arm out to the side to shoulder height. Did you feel tension at your hip? This means that the muscles of the front of the hip are loaded and ready to contract. Now sit down and lift your right arm up. Did you feel the same tension? Probably not, because the flexed position of the hip inhibits its ability to contract and properly stabilize the body.
As you can see proper hip function is essential to injury prevention and optimal performance. It is important to keep the hips strong in order to stabilize the rest of the body. But be careful! Not all training exercises are the same. Most of the traditional exercises used to build abdominal and gluteal strength actually inhibit the ability of the hip muscles to contract at the right time. And activities like prolonged sitting actually promote faulty capsular patterns of the hip. Your training program should be unique to your needs and functional goals and should promote both mobility and stability. Whether you are an active or inactive person your hips are a key piece of a pain-free life.
Dr. Colling has extensive training an experience dealing with hip biomechanics. If you would like an evaluation, have an injury or would like advice on how to properly train your hips for optimal performance, please call 503-808-9145.
Reading, Writing and Reiki: Back to School
Michelle Garnier Winkler, Reiki Master
Hear those shouts of joy or rather, cries of disappointment? That’s right – it’s back-to-school time. In honor of this season, as adults, we too should think about furthering our education to keep the sense of wonder and awe from learning, like our children. While a course in ceramics, a foreign language or even cooking can provide us with a great sense of fulfillment, what about considering an investment in your health and spirit: Reiki.
Reiki has three or four levels, depending upon the teacher. Upon completing Level I through an attunement, a sort of energetic initiation, people gain much.
The sense of empowerment by learning how to take care of ourselves is one of the most exciting advantages of Reiki. Ailing from a sinus headache, monthly menstrual cramps or recovering from surgery? Put your hands on the area of pain and let the Reiki flow. You can also help loved ones too, such as a child’s booboo, a dog’s aching hip, a spouse suffering from insomnia or a stressed-out best friend can all be soothed.
A benefit that’s slightly more difficult to define is a reconnection to your spirit. Even here in the spiritually aware Northwest, we still get caught up in daily material life. As we end up focusing on the busy-ness of life, it leaves many of us asking “is this all there is?”
Since the healing energy of Reiki comes from a higher power, instead of the practitioner, the giver is in direction connection with it. This link leaves the practitioner feeling at one with the Universe, balanced and peaceful. People attuned to Reiki also have the honorable ability to be of service in a unique way. Being able to provide deep relaxation for a dear friend who suffers from anxiety feels wonderful as does relieving the effects of a cousin’s acid reflux problem or helping your terminally ill grandfather to get a good night’s sleep. Many of us want to make a selfless difference and having Reiki gives people a free, anytime, anywhere skill to do just that.
Once you decide to take Reiki training, the most important step is to find a teacher. Perhaps start by doing research through asking friends or trusted healthcare workers for recommendations, or you may want to set out by perusing websites. Many teachers’ sites provide ample information on their teaching methods, background and fees. When you are seriously considering a prospective teacher, it is a good idea to attend his or her Reiki circle (if available) to get a sense of their teaching style and approach.
Once you narrow down your search, make sure to ask questions. Think about what you need and want so that when asking questions, you find out if the teacher and the program are geared for you need. For instance, if you are already a massage therapist and want to offer Reiki as a part of your services to clients, you will have a different set of needs than someone who has a chronic illness and is in search of drug-free self-help.
Some questions you may want to mull over are: What is your specialty? What is your general philosophy in practicing and teaching Reiki? Do you provide any course materials? May I contact you with questions or for advice after class is completed?
Ultimately, if you choose to learn Reiki and how you select a teacher is up to you. I recommend you go with your gut. If you do sense that it is right for you, you might as well start by trusting your intuition and the energy you feel. It is something you will be doing quite often while practicing Reiki.
Michelle of Create Healing is a Reiki Master/Teacher in private practice in SE Portland at Vital Health and Wellness. For more information call 503-453-5487 or CreateHealingReiki.com.