Introduction:

Myofascial release is a type of physical therapy often used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. These tissues surround and support the muscles throughout your body. The pain usually originates from specific points within your myofascial tissues called “trigger points.

How does Myofascial Release work?

Your therapist will gently massage the myofascia and feel for stiff or tightened areas. Normal myofascia should feel pliable and elastic. The therapist will begin massaging and stretching the areas that feel rigid with light manual pressure. The therapist then aids the tissue and supportive sheath in releasing pressure and tightness. The process is repeated multiple times on the same trigger point and on other trigger points until the therapist feels the tension is fully released.

Who Might Benefit From Myofascial Release?

Patients with myofascial pain syndrome frequently benefit from this type of therapy. People who experience chronic headaches may also find relief from myofascial release. Gently massaging on tightened muscles in and around the neck and head may reduce headaches.

Some people with venous insufficiency, which occurs when blood pools in the deep veins of the leg, may also be candidates for myofascial release. During venous insufficiency, the blood pool stretches and eventually damages the veins in your legs. You may experience an aching and painful sensation in the affected leg. Myofascial release might be used in conjunction with other treatments to reduce the pooling and pain caused by venous insufficiency.

What Are the Risks of Myofascial Release?

However, massage isn’t ideal for people:

• with burns, injuries, or painful wounds
• with fractures or broken bones
• with fragile or weak bones
• with deep vein thrombosis or deep vein issues
• taking blood-thinning medications

In very rare cases, massage therapy may cause:

• internal bleeding
• temporary paralysis or difficulty moving your muscles
• allergic reaction to oils, gels, or lotions
• nerve damage

Conclusion:

Myofascial therapy can be a precursor and complement to other treatments. Patients who engage in myofascial therapy also may benefit from other forms of nonsurgical care that aim to control pain and keep muscles and joints warm and loose. These include:

• Using non-prescription pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Applying heat to soothe constricted muscles or using ice to calm swollen areas
• Performing self-stretching exercises to maintain flexibility and increase range of motion or aerobic exercise to increase blood flow to the affected areas.

Myofascial therapy can also enhance or assist other treatments to increase their effectiveness such as acupuncture, manipulation, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. Myofascial release therapy can also improve skeletal and muscular alignment prior to a surgery, or help athletes achieve better alignment prior to sports competitions.

By targeting specific areas of the fascial system, myofascial therapy can help prepare patients for more aggressive forms of strengthening, or provide pain relief for patients with restricted flexibility and movement, thus allowing patients to return to normal movement and greater function.

Introduction:

Supplements provide a variety of nutrients, including isolated quantities of specific vitamins, minerals, herbs, and probiotics. In other words, they’re specifically made to fill in what your diet might be missing.  Proper diet is one — fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and natural proteins — while regular exercise and social outings are some others.

Supplement-free brain boosters:

• Eat well — Fresh food nutrients are much stronger than those isolated in pills, powders, and chewables. It’s also less expensive — and often tastier.
• Exercise regularly — Working out gets blood pumping throughout your body and your brain, making it a healthy, efficient way to circulate nutrients. It also leads to neurogenesis — or the creation of neurons — which is tied to dementia-fighting effects and better memory.
• Get enough sleep — Studies suggest that sleep helps flush out potential toxins that build up in your central nervous system throughout the day.¹ That’s why you feel restored after a peaceful night’s rest.
• Train your brain — Try challenging yourself with memory exercises and puzzle games. Or pick up a new hobby to flex your mental muscles every day.
• Socialize — Interacting with people is key to gaining new perspectives and experiences. It gives you a chance to teach others, too, which stretches your brain’s ability to organize ideas and relay them succinctly.

3 essential nutrients for brain health

So, which nutrients are best for your brain health? Some support better memory, alertness, and creativity. 

Omega-3 fatty acids

As far as brain supplements go, omega -3 fatty acids are a great place to start. That’s because your body can’t naturally make this type of fat from scratch.  Omega-3s bring a bit of everything, including improved brain function, memory, and reaction times. They may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and potentially even help prevent depression and dementia. Babies benefit, too. In fact, omega-3s promote brain health both during pregnancy and early life — making it an important nutrient for expectant parents and newborns alike.

Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and herring are excellent sources of omega-3s. Not a fish fan? You’ve still got plenty to choose from, like flaxseed, soybeans, nuts, and omega-3 supplements.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is famous for supporting strong bones and helping to prevent osteoporosis — but it’s linked to healthy brain function, too.  More research is needed to completely understand the effects of vitamin D on the brain, but we know a lot about what happens when we get just the right amount. In fact, maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D may prevent the onset of mental health conditions like depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. 

Interestingly enough, sunlight stimulates your skin to produce vitamin D, which makes a 5- to 10-minute walk outside an excellent — and easy — daily dose. Vitamin D is also available in many different foods, including cold-water fish (salmon, sardines, and tuna), egg yolks, and breakfast basics like milk and cereal.

Vitamin B12

Like vitamin D, vitamin B12 has so many mental benefits. Getting enough vitamin B12 may give you more energy, improve memory, and make learning new things easier. It also has been shown to help improve mood and lessen depressive symptoms.

You might be getting all the vitamin B12 you need from natural animal products, like fish, poultry, and dairy, as well as whole grains and high-fiber cereals. But if you’re an older adult, vegetarian or vegan, or have trouble absorbing nutrients, you’ve got a lot to gain from complementing your diet with the supplement form of this potent brain booster.

Conclusion: 

Before considering supplements of any kind, talk to your doctor to determine not only what nutrients and doses will support your specific needs, but also whether you even need them in the first place.

Introduction:

Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—because acting in concert, they perform hundreds of roles in the body. They help shore up bones, heal wounds, and bolster your immune system. They also convert food into energy, and repair cellular damage.

In the 1930s and 1940s, some scientific and clinical evidence suggested that there might be beneficial uses of vitamins C, E and B-3 in large doses.

Megavitamin Therapy, sometimes known as orthomolecular therapy, is the use of very high levels of vitamins to treat a range of health complaints. The levels prescribed greatly exceed the recommended dietary allowance and therefore Megavitamin Therapy should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner…

Proponents of Megavitamin Therapy are of the view that a prolonged and severe deficiency in certain vitamins can lead to, and/or exacerbate, disease. They propose that these diseases can be treated fully or partly through the administration of high doses of the deficient vitamins.

What leads to vitamin deficiency?

A well-balanced diet should provide the body with all the vitamins and nutrients it needs to grow, function, maintain and repair itself. However as we all know, well-balanced diets often fall victim to our time-poor lifestyles – and occasional lack of will power.

In addition a small percentage of the population has difficulty absorbing vitamins from the food they eat. Some people have a defect in certain enzymes that break-down vitamins and nutrients in food. Dietary restrictions as a result of allergies or intolerances may also lead to vitamin deficiencies. Research suggests that as the body ages, the ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins from food diminish. And we know that pregnant women need considerably more iron to support the baby’s growing placenta, as well as their own body.

These people may be deficient in certain kinds of vitamins, and if that deficiency is prolonged, it may lead to ill health. For these people, vitamin supplements may have some benefit.

Can megavitamins help treat disease?

Vitamin supplementation has well-established benefits for a range of health complaints. For example anemia is a well-known condition that results from a prolonged lack of iron. A lack of Vitamin D, overtime, can lead to softening of the bones, a condition called osteomalacia. Uncontrolled bleeding and cartilage calcification are signs of Vitamin K deficiency. People suffering these conditions all experience improvements in their health when they take the appropriate vitamin supplements as prescribed by their doctor.

Dangers of megavitamin therapy:

However, taking too many might actually do more harm than good. “There are many studies that have shown that if you take these large quantities of vitamins, so called mega-vitamins, you actually increase your risk of cancer, increase your risk of heart disease and shorten your life,”

Conclusion:

However before you run to the health food aisle of your supermarket to stock up on vitamins – a word of warning: while most vitamins are beneficial to most people when taken at low levels, they can become extremely toxic when taken at high levels or in conjunction with other medications. Therefore Megavitamin Therapy should only be used under the strict supervision of a highly qualified healthcare practitioner.

                                                  

Introduction:

Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which dried plant materials called “moxa” are burned on or very near the surface of the skin. The intention is to warm and invigorate the flow of Qi in the body and dispel certain pathogenic influences.

Moxa is usually made from the dried leafy material of Chinese mugwort (Artemisia argyi or A.vulgaris), but it can be made of other substances as well.

What exactly does the practitioner do?

In this method, the moxa material is compressed into a stick or pole, looking not unlike an oversized cigar that can be lit and allowed to smolder, producing a unique form of very penetrating heat.

The smoldering moxa stick is held over specific areas, often, though not always, corresponding to certain acupuncture points. The glowing end of the moxa stick is held about an inch or two above the surface of the skin until the area reddens and becomes suffused with warmth.

Moxibustion is used for:

• Pain due to injury or arthritis  especially in “cold” patterns where the pain naturally feels better with the application of heat
• Digestive problems and irregular elimination
• Gynecological and obstetrical conditions, including breech presentation in late term pregnancy
• Protection against cold and flu strains
• Back pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Muscle stiffness
• Tendonitis
• Ulcers
• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Cancers

Practitioners often do both acupuncture and moxibustion in the same clinic session when appropriate to the diagnosis and treatment strategy. Practitioners believe that the therapies increase each other’s effectiveness when used together.

Potential Complications of Moxibustion:

It poses a few risks, one being the risk of getting burned in the process. For this reason, it’s best to stick with the indirect moxibustion approach, especially when doing it alone. Other possible side effects include:

• Toxic reactions to mugwort
• Nausea and vomiting
• Coughing from the smoke
• Dark skin patches
• Fetal distress if you’re pregnant
• Premature birth
• Basal cell carcinoma or a type of skin cancer

Conclusion:

On the mechanism of moxibustion effects, there have been many viewpoints, such as thermal stimulation effect, non-specific autologous protein therapeutics, non-specific stress responses, and aromatherapy. The generally accepted view is that the meridian system combines with moxibustion physical and chemical effects to produce comprehensive effects. When physical and chemical factors act on the acupoint receptors, the signal enters the central nervous system through the peripheral pathways and outgos after being integrated, adjusting the nerve-endocrine-immune network and circulatory system, so as to regulate the internal environment of the body, in order to achieve the effects of preventing and curing diseases