Bringing Vitality to Your Chakras

How do you revive a sluggish Charkra?

Below are the roles of each Chakra

Connecting with Your Chakras

Taking care of yourself starts from the inside:


Chakras are wheel shaped, vortexes of energy located along the spinal cord, they start from the tail bone and end at the crown of the head. Chakras are the focal point of reception and transmission of energies. Depicted either like a wheel with spokes or a flower with petals, the bottom chakra starts with just four and the top chakra ends with one thousand petals.  See the chart below to find the location of each chakra, the inner state, the colour, stone and meditative phrase that will help draw energy and healing into this chakra plus more.

Be whole, well and vibrant,
Anita

Gout - Pain in the foot

Pain in your foot

Gout

What is it?

Gout is a common type of arthritis characterized be acute onset of intense pain, typically involving the first joint of the big toe.  The pain can be speratic with periods without symptoms between acute attacks.

What causes it?

Elevated serum uric acid (the final breakdown product of purine – one of the units of DNA and RNA metabolism) level, deposited in and around the joints, kidneys, subcutanius tissue, bone, cartilage and other tissue of the body and causes considerable inflammation (please see blog on inflammation) and damage.

Dietary considerations:

·      Elimination of alcohol intake – increases uric acid production by accelerating purine breakdown.

·      Low Purine Diet – includes organ meats, meats, shellfish, yeast (brewers and bakers), herring, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies. 

·      Achievement of ideal body weight – via high fiber low fat diet.  Excess weight is associated with increased rate of gout

·      Liberal consumption of complex carbohydrates – Such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables instead of simple sugars which increase uric acid production

·      Low fat intake - saturated fats decrease uric acid excretion.

·      Low protein intake – Protien intake should not exceed 0,8 g/kg of body weight as may accelerate uric acid synthesis, however, amino acids decrease reabsorption of uric acid in the renal  tubules, increasing uric acid excretion and reducing serum uric acid concentration.


    Liberal Fluid intake - Keeps the urine diluted and promotes the excretion of uric acid.  Drink at least 48 oz of water each day.


    In addition, liberal amounts of cherries, blueberries, and other anthocyanoside rich  (red-blue) berries or extracts should be consumed (0.5 - 1.0 pound per day).

Back Pain - Lower Body Exercises

Corrective Exercises for Lower Body Muscular Imbalances

http://backpainphysicaltherapy.net/back-pain-exercises-2/

Hold each stretch/contraction for 6 to 10 seconds 6 times, 2- 3 times per day.

by Anita

Back Pain - Upper Back Exercises

Corrective Exercises for Upper Back Muscle Imbalances

http://backpainphysicaltherapy.net/back-pain-exercises-2/

Hold each stretch. contraction for 6 - 10 seconds and do them 6 times 2 - 3 times a day to retrain the muscles of the upper extremities.

By Anita

Cause of Back Pain - Lower Cross Syndrome

 Root Cause of BackPain

There are many reasons why a person might experience back pain, however, I believe that many are a result of, or facilitated by, something called the Lower and Upper Cross Syndrome.  A syndrome characterized by muscular imbalances.  Developed by the legendary neurologist and rehab specialist Vladimir Janda MD, the lower crossed syndrome and upper cross syndrome is simply a grouping of weak muscles and overactive or tight muscles that produce a predictable low and upper back movement pattern that can lead to injury (See figure above).

Janda’s EMG research found that a significant number of people developed a distinct pattern of muscle imbalance due to prolonged static posture. He noted that when a muscle is left in a shortened or contracted state for an extended period of time, (i.e, sitting hunched over a computer for hours each day) it produces reciprocal inhibition, i.e., reflex weakening of muscles on the opposite side of the body.

Many of us sit at our job for hours on end in a flexed position.

Upper crossed syndrome is characterized by facilitation of the upper trapezius, levator, sternocleidomastoid, and pectoralis muscles, as well as inhibition of the deep cervical flexors, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior. 


Lower crossed syndrome is characterized by facilitation of the thoraco-lumbar extensors, rectus femoris, and iliopsoas, as well as inhibition of the abdominals (particularly transversus abdominus) and the gluteal muscles.

Day-by-day the hip flexors tighten and shorten causing reciprocal inhibition which neurologically inhibits glute-max.

Unable to help stabilize the pelvis, the weakened gluteals causes the brain to recruit synergistic muscles like the hamstrings and lumbar erectors to assist the glutes in hip extension.


Both upper and lower cross syndrome can be corrected though self myofacial release (SMR) with the aim of SMR or foam rolling being to break down these hot spots by relaxing the contracted muscle, therefore reducing inflammation and increasing lymphatic drainage while stimulating the stretch reflex. stretching, stabilization exercises and massage

Please see my Blog on Back Pain - Upper and Lower Exercises for a sample activation and stretching program.

Happy training,

Anita

Vitality Ball Recipe

Vitality Balls  Recipe

Ingredients:

• ·      1 cup rolled oats
• ·      ½ cup cacao nibs
• ·      ¼ cup  dried cranberries
• ·      ¼ cup goji berries
• ·      ½ tsp cinnamon
• ·      1 tsp cacao powder
• ·      ¼ cup sunflower seed butter
• ·      ¼ cup  _____ butter
• ·      ¼ cup honey
• ·      ½ cup shredded coconut
• ·      2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

1.     blend all dry ingredients together in blender, magic bullet, vita mix etc.

2.     Empty dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add wet ingredients ( honey and nut butters)

3.     Mix wet and dry ingredients together with a spoon or your hands

4.     Take small spoonfulls of the mixture and roll it in your hand shaping the mixture into a ball

5.     Roll the balls in the shredded coconut and place in a container that can be placed in the freezer.

6.     Once finished cover the container and store your chocolate treats in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until you are ready to enjoy.

Health Info:

Oats –

Cacao nibs - 

Cranberries –

Goji berries - 

Cinnamon - 

Cacao powder - 

Sunflower seeds - 

Honey - 

Coconut - 

Coconut oil -