Whisper Wednesday: How To Gain Body Awareness

Body awareness. It's an expression and ideal that I am constantly surrounded by at work, when dancing or when exercising.

Nearly every time I give a massage I hear, "Wow, I didn't realize how tight my legs are" or "I don't know what I did to make that so tender" or my favorite, "You never realize how sore you really are until you get a massage". And why is that? Why are so many people unaware of the physical condition of their bodies? Or if they are, they think it's normal to live in frequent pain? With the expectation of those who living with pain as a result of injuries or congenital, degenerative and autoimmune diseases we should not think of pain as a normal state of being. If the source of the pain/discomfort can't be easily explained such as from repetitive physical labor at work, being sedentary at the cubicle, stress on the job or accidentally bumping into the corner of a coffee table or wall, then either someone is beating you up in your sleep or you may have reason for concern to have a chat with your doctor.

So...what can you do about it? How can you gain more body awareness? Well, here are a list of my top 5 picks to help enhance your body awareness.

1. My new favorite activity, YOGA.

Yoga is the perfect blend of focusing on balance, breathing, flexibility, movement and strength. There are said to be hundreds of various styles of yoga each focusing on a different goal and philosophy. The link above shares 20 popular styles of yoga and what to expect from each.





2. DANCING

Whether you're a professional, amateur or anywhere in between, dancing is a great way to gain body awareness. You build awareness by using your sense of sight, sound and touch as well as, stimulating and strengthening your core for balance. You also become aware of your breathing and body parts in order to move more efficiently and if there are any restrictions in your flexibility or strength you can practice to increase those limits.



(Yes, that is me breaking on the left with my manfriend. Had so much fun at this jam! Miss my girls, Erika and Katie!)


3. MEDITATION

As with yoga, there are various types of meditation and each has many wonderful benfits. The goal for each can range from increasing relaxation, concentration, breathing, visualization or body scanning. This technique of awareness can be especially beneficial for those that experience high stress levels and/or need a moment of solitude to recenter.




4. EXERCISE 

I think it goes without saying that exercising is a quick eye opener about the state of ones body. Whether it be to lose weight, increase strength, build muscle or improve your sports performance, you'll discover many things about yourself. Such as the level of your determination and will to set and reach a goal, your current health conditions, myoskeletal imbalances and compensations to name a few.





5. Last but not least, MASSAGE.

Photo courtesy of Tammy Tso

Only makes since, don't you think? ;) Through manual manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, you become aware of tension and stiffness, myoskeletal compensations, limited circulation, inflammation and neuromuscular deficiencies. Massage also makes you aware of your level of stress; how ergonomic your work station is; your posture while working in a sedentary working environment; ways to prevent of repetitive stress disorder and trigger points and their referral pain patterns. With this knowledge you can choose whether to adopt one or more of the above listed activities to resolve the listed issues as well as treat those trigger points using a handy dandy homemade massage tool.


Thanks for reading! Hope you learned something new!
Do you do one or more of these activities or something different? How has it helped with your body awareness?


To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~Buddha

New Focus, New Goals, New Year, New Posts!!

Sooooo...it's been a while, right??? I hadn't noticed! Hope you all are well this new year of Twenty12! Things have started off quite productive for me. New part time job working at a fitness center in addition to my full-time job at the chiropractors office makes for a lot of happy, relaxed and pain free individuals! It also means, more work and less play for me. However, I am not complaining because I'm blessed to have employment and in influx in clientele to help educate towards attaining a healthier mind and body.

Aside from work stuffs I am also focusing more on ME!! I am fortunate enough to get regular two hour massages from my gal pal and massage therapist extraordinaire, Cassie! We sorta slacked off a bit because of holidays and other unfortunate events, but now we're back on track! And with that comes a new activity for myself...YOGA!! Yessss...!! When my bestie/roomie/lil sis, Tammy came back from California last summer, she also brought a new out look on her own wellness. Meaning healthier, organic foods, a new gym membership and a overall holistic life style. I'm so proud of this transition she's made after talking about it for quite some time. A big thanks also goes out to a certain Wellness & Performance Coach for sparking this new addiction that Tammy has for wellness. Between the two of us Tammy has NO ROOM for excuses or sympathy! Muahahaha

Anywho..I said all that to say that I am surrounded by other like minded individuals and I'm inspired and motivated to take my health and fitness to a new level. This will also go hand in hand with my bgirling to increase my stamina, strength and flexibility. I'm already seeing great progress! Splits, anyone?? Yeah, I almost got em! Which is saying a lot being that I've NEVER been able to do them before!

May not look like much, but this is a HUGE accomplishment for me!
And no..I'm not screaming out in pain, I'm yelling out, "YEAH!".

With these new goals and lifestyle changes this will also mean regular blog posts! I know that's what you all were waiting for!! ; )
Whisper Wednesday's will be back in full effect giving weekly informative advice on many topics and updates on my personal progress. Also, I will start doing a bi-monthly(maybe monthly) Shout Out to a person of my choosing that has caught my attention for doing something awesome! Anything from achieving a goal, making a goal, being an encouragement, being an inspiration or just being you! So, I'm excited to get started!

The first Whisper Wednesday will be posted next week. I'm going skiing for the first time with my Manfriend and a few other amazing friends for Valentine's Day! ^_^ I'm excited and expect to be very sore when we return home! haha

Until then, take care!!

Who wants a laugh??

Laughter is good for the soul! What other thing do you know that is so powerful that it can increase happiness and your immune system, reduce stress and pain, can bring about peace and harmony, make you forgot your burdens, bond strangers and enemies and inspire the hope of peace?? Aside from music and an amazing massage that is?? LAUGHTER! One of the few things I don't mind being infected by.

So have a go at it. You may not realize how bad you needed it.


Here are just a few videos that always give me a chuckle. What puts a smile on your face and/or laughter in your belly?

Whisper Wednesday: How to Make an Ice Pack

For those loyal readers I have, I'm sure you remember my post about when to use ice vs heat on a muscular injury. For a recap go hither: HEAT or ICE??

Lately, my household has become overrun with ice packs. Why, you ask? Because one or more of the members in my household can't help but occasionally fall off a horse; pull a muscle lifting several pounds in pool supplies; have a aching lower back from standing on their feet for hours at a time; or, our favorite, getting bruised and battered from breaking aka bboying. With such a combination of fun, tedious and strenuous activities, we're sore, aching and limping quiet often.

The cost and size of our ice packs started increasing, so what idea did my crazy, fun and adventurous friend, Tammy come up with?? "Let's make our own ice packs!!" So off to the Dollar Store we went. It was easier than I realized. All you need are: plastic Ziploc bags of desired size and rubbing alcohol or dishwashing liquid containing alcohol. We purchased rubbing alcohol and dishwashing liquid. Both came out pretty well and stay cold for several hours.

Add dishwashing liquid to ziploc bag.
*If you're using the rubbing alcohol instead, the mixture is  1 part alcohol to 2 parts water.* 

Cool, right??!

Before sealing, leave at least 2 inches of space
so that the liquid has room to expand once it freezes. 

Finally, place in freezer, let freeze and Voilà!!

A VERY flattering picture of myself using one of the three ice packs Tammy made.
Shinsplints are no joke! 

And that's it!! Easy right??! I believe ice packs are an essential household item next to toilet paper and water. So have at it!! :D

Whisper Wednesday: Benefits of Epsom Salt

Had a long busy day at work?? Did you have a great workout at the gym?? Train extra hard to perfect that dance or power move?? Now you're sore from head to toe and just need to take a breather to soothe and relieve your aching body.

A solution to those needs: EPSOM SALT BATH. Soaking in this amazing chemical compound of Magnesium Sulfate can do your body wonders!

Epsom Salt is used by many athletes for its ability to reduce inflammation, soreness, fatigue and muscle cramps. However, it is just as beneficial for the non-athlete. Such as reducing headaches, improving circulation, relaxing nerves and muscles and reducing blood pressure. Magnesium alone is required for the function of over 300 enzymes in our body. This means nearly every system and organ of our body directly or indirectly requires the use of magnesium to function.

As a result of many foods, drugs and/or medical conditions, our digestive tract can't effectively absorb magnesium causing many of us to be/become magnesium deficient. Suffering from cerebral flatulence?? You're probably magnesium deficient. Just kidding....no, but seriously.

The amazingness of Espsom Salt is that it allows the magnesium sulfate to be readily available just by soaking in it! So get that bath ready! Just wade in a tub of warm/hot water, turn down the bathroom lights, maybe light a few candles, have your favorite music playing in the background and you've created a relaxing retreat while also increasing your bodily health and stimulating a few brain cells.


Happy Soaking!!

***This product is not intended to medically diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your health care provider before using any supplement.***

Sitting Is KILLING You!!!

I have several massage clients with jobs that require they sit for 5+ hours at a time and they all complain about the same exact aches and pains. Stress/tension/stiffness/aching in their neck, shoulders, lower back and hips. And the really bad ones have the added numbness/tingling down their arms and into their fingers. No bueno!!

Sitting slouched and crouched over a desk + staring at a computer + head tilted on the phone + hands writing or typing away for several hours without a break = Decreased blood circulation from prolonged sitting, sleeping legs and feet, stiff and tired neck, shoulder and back muscles. And then...we do it again 5-7 days a week!

I always regurgitate the same recommendations: "Try to get out of your seat every hour to walk and/or stretch to stimulate circulation and break out of the repetitiveness of your sustained working position."

Sometimes they hear me, often times they don't.  So from now on I'm going to direct them to this blog post in hopes that it will spark a fire for them to get of their chairs more often! haha

Thanks to a couple friends of mine, I came across a very informative and eye catching report about the dangers of sitting all day. I don't know if I agree with all of their stats (i.e. an 8% increase in sitting doubled our obesity rates), but the graphics definitely accomplish scaring someone straight! Next they should do a report on how some foods are just as at fault for killing us slowly as is prolonged sitting. I'd love to see the graphics on that! 

Share your comments and opinions on the stats and graphics!!

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Need help falling asleep???

Hello again! Has a month really past since my last post?! Sheesh!
Well, a lot has happened in that time frame. Aside from work, work, work and finding time to dance, Nick and I have a new roomy!! One of my best girfrans, Tammy. ^_^
Moving day for Tammy was quite....adventurous! A few of our friends rallied together to move all her belongings from her one bedroom apartment to fit into our guest room and her new bedroom. Thanks to Tammy, our guest bedroom is now an art supply store/gallery! hahaha

Photo courtesy of Michael Nagel

So, last night was one of those nights where I was excited to fall asleep. There was a nice thunderstorm that allowed for some of the most comforting and deep sleep. And I just learned that it's supposed to rain for the next 5 days! Oh the sweet, sweet sleep that will be had. ::sigh::

For those rain and thunderstorm admirers hopefully you'll enjoy this video. Most of my clients favorite cd to listen to while getting massaged is of natural sounds; waves crashing, wind chimes chiming, light rain and thunder. Relaxes them and puts them to sleep nearly every time. Are you getting sleepy?? I think I'll take a little nap while listening to this.

Also, a tip to better enjoy this video...go to the bathroom first! LOL