The Minimalist Physical Therapist: Using Yoga as Medicine? A minimalist pares away all unnecessary things “in order to expose the essence or identity of a subject.” Twelve years ago I decided to try that path. I had been raised with a “Depression Era” ethic, that is, collect and keep everything you can, because you “just never know what…
Cesarean Delivery and Fetal Monitoring: Help or Hurt? Fetal monitoring is used more than any other obstetrical intervention, reported to be used in more than 85% of hospitals in 2010 (ACOG Practice Bulletin 132). However, despite its high rate of use, fetal monitoring has not been proven effective in decreasing infant or maternal mortality or…
Lady Gaga’s Hip Labral Tear: Are You At Risk for One? Lady Gaga’s tour operators, Live Nation, announced February 14, 2013 that she would be cancelling the remainder of her tour due to a hip injury. You may not know one single song that Lady Gaga sings (I don’t), so why, you are thinking, should I…
Americans Die Younger: US Ranks Low in World Health Report A report published last month by the Institute of Medicine entitled, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health, was released on January 9, 2013. CNN originally covered the Institute’s release of the report, and now the nutrition industry is chiming in, “The first obvious issue…
Physical Therapy for Back Pain Improves Chances for Permanent Relief Apparently Dr. Oz may not know exactly what physical therapy is – even though it is good that he sought it out when discussing “cutting edge solutions for back pain” on a recent segment. The segment caught the attention of the American Physical Therapy Association,…
Anti-Cancer 101: Avoid Pesticides Here’s How: Here are some other helpful links for your family’s health: Avoiding Cancer & Chronic Disease Clean Food Resources – If buying organic is expensive where you live, then make sure you at least follow the Dirty Dozen List, buy organic milk and yogurt, and avoid GMO’s (namely wheat, corn,…
Self-Help Tip of the Week: That which remains when there is no more grasping, is the Self. ~ Panchardasi Heeding this proverb, or mantra, or whatever you want to call it, is a daily challenge for me. And on the day this picture was taken, in the dimming of the day on a Virginia mountainside…
Read The Role of Nutrition and Exercise in Longevity, full post, of my latest article on Yang-Sheng magazine. Read Yang-Sheng magazine on full screen flip book No one wants to hear the phrase “you are aging prematurely.” However, that is exactly what is happening when you suffer from chronic disease. The phrase “anti-inflammatory diet” is a huge buzzword now in…
This guest post is written by Liz Gillem Duncanson MPT, ATC, PYT-C, of Body Temple Physical Therapy in Northern California. Visit Liz. The Yoga Couch When I returned to work after my first Professional Yoga Therapy studies course with Ginger Garner, I began to lay out a mysterious blanket configuration on the floor next to the…
Influencing Health Care Policy: Can Medical Providers Do That? How can health care professionals/pain management specialists become more involved in shaping health care policy? Rehabilitation specialists are instrumental medical providers in the management of chronic pain. As a physical therapist I have been specializing in chronic pain for close to 15 years, and doing so,…
Labor & Delivery Yoga: Better Birth is Only a Breath Away I have had the absolute joy of giving birth three times. Although I have other secret weapons for labor and delivery, I believe this one is the most important for managing pain, preventing panic or anxiety, and maintaining adequate oxygenation, no matter what type…
The idea of women’s empowerment is a touchy issue. It has been correlated with the myth of the “male decline” and other scare tactics put forth by those who may seek to sweep women’s issues under the proverbial rug. However, one fact stands very clear. Our current approach on women’s health care in the US…