We are going to change up this column for 2012 and use it to cover our 2012 Year of Wellness. Using the Wellness Workbook by Dr. John W. Travis as a guide, we'll explore one chapter each month.
"High-level wellness involves giving good care to your physical self, using your mind constructively, expressing your emotions effectively, being creatively involved with those around you, and being concerned about your physical, psychological, and spiritual environments." --John W. Travis, MD, in the Introduction of Wellness Workbook.
Chapter Two
Wellness & BreathingIt seems pretty obvious that breathing is rather important to our wellbeing, doesn't it? Comedian Steve Martin is quoted in this chapter, "I've got to keep breathing. It'll be my worst business mistake if I don't." Indeed! The human body can live weeks without food, only a few days without water, but just a matter of minutes without oxygen. Thankfully, we don't need to consciously think about breathing to keep it going - the breathing control center in our brain runs on autopilot 24/7. As it turns out, however, not needing to think about breathing results in our not only ignoring the breath, but often getting in its way! And we ignore and impede the breath at our own peril. For a bit more physical information about breathing, see the Of The Month column at the lower right of this newsletter. I won't repeat it all here! But breathing is more than a physical act. It has been tied on an emotional and spiritual level to the life force itself for millenia. Tied so closely, in fact, that the word for breath and spirit or life force is the same in many languages. In Greek - pneuma meant breath/soul/air/spirit and is a root of some of our lung-related medical words today (like pneumonia). In Sanskrit - prana is life force and breath, in Latin - spiritus is breath/soul, in Japanes - ki is air/spirit. Even in our English, the breath in is an inspiration - inspire - to take in the spirit. Becoming aware of our breathing patterns in general, but particularly in times of stress or other discomfort, will give us information that can have an enormous impact on our overall health and wellbeing. We can learn to use the breath to calm our nerves, relieve pain, heighten focus and increase energy. Yes! All these things without drugs, without financial cost, without side effects! Becoming aware of how we get in our own way of good breathing allows us to make changes to breathe more easily and effectively. We can make choices about our posture, our clothing, the ergonomics of our workplaces that will free the breath. The connection between breath and spirit goes beyond the language link. Styles of meditation and prayer the world over use the breath as a way to focus attention and to be aware of the present moment alone. This appreciation of "now" can have life-changing consequences - and all to the good. Another consideration of breathing and our health and wellbeing is the quality of what we're breathing. This takes us outside ourselves and focuses attention on the wellbeing of our environment - which is directly related to our own wellbeing! How's the air purity in your home and workplace? On a little bigger scale, what are the air pollution levels in your area? On an even bigger scale, how's the health of the plant kingdom everywhere that is the source of the oxygen we need to breathe? What choices are you making each day that contribute to the purity of the air you - and we all - breathe? For something we often think of as no more than an automatic function of our brain, there are endless ways to explore our breath and its relationship to our health. I encourage you to take that deep breath and plunge into prana/pneuma/ki/spirit! As I was preparing this newsletter, I was invited to a Breathwork Summit on-line from January 31-Feb 3. There are some excellent presenters scheduled, it's free and you can participate too! Follow this link and register: Breathwork SummitSome other resources: The Breathing BookConscious BreathingIndoor Air PollutionPollution by Zip Code
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What is
The Vis?
a) Latin word for power
b) A foundation of naturopathic medicine
c) Word rhyming with bees
d) All of the above
The correct answer is d!
"The Vis" is, in naturopathic medical circles, short for the Latin, "Vis Medicatrix Naturae," which translates to the Healing Power of Nature. It is at the very core of naturopathic medicine and what sets it apart. The Vis is our body's own innate intelligence that strives every minute of every day to keep the body in a perfect balance of health and function.
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To Ponder...
"Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
--James Baldwin
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Looking Ahead
February 7- Chakra class begins
February 11 - Greens Class
February 14 - 2nd Tuesday Program
February 22-29 - WellSpring office closed. Yoga classes continue.
March 13 - 2nd Tuesday
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Greetings!
Our little February gets an extra day this year - and so, then, do we! What will you do with this gift of an additional 24 hours? Smack dab in the middle of the week, it's likely to feel like any other day with the same obligations and routine as the day before and the day after. But what if we would decide to take advantage of this extra time? Perhaps not all in one block, but what if you chose to use an extra hour each week for 24 weeks to learn or refresh or refine a skill? Or to pursue a long-held-on-the-back-burner dream? Or to spend fully attentive to your partner or child? Or to yourself? Dedicating one hour each week for half a year - what could you dream? |
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WellSpring & Other News
2nd Tuesdays Program
Tuesday, February 14, 7-9pm
How can we have a program on Valentine's Day and not talk about the heart? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States today. Sadly, but also luckily, it is almost all preventable! We'll look at that and also what some other systems of health have to say about the heart. If you're free, join us! Or bring a date!
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Greens, Greens & More Awesome Greens!
Saturday, February 11, 10am - 12noon Cost - $15 Space is limited. Call 989-633-0025 to reserve your spot.
Greens are some of the healthiest foods on the planet, but most of us don't eat them enough. In fact, many of us are afraid of them, or confused by them or hold old prejudices against them! Join Kim Palka, ND in a new exploration and appreciation for these nutritional powerhouses. Preparation, recipes and tasting included!
Coffee Klatch - Tuesdays 9am-1pm. (Except 2/28)
Feel free to stop in on Tuesdays for tea and conversation and sometimes something special! Watch our WellSpring Facebook page for those specials!
Office Closed Feb 22-29. The WellSpring office will be closed after our Coffee Klatch on February 21 through Wed. Feb 29. Assuming there are no weather glitches, we'll open again on March 1. If you need supplements, please be sure to get them by Feb 21. Yoga classes will continue as scheduled.
Sowing C ircle - Toni & Trish House
is our charitable organization for this quarter. The Toni & Trish House offers a home environment for hospice patients who do not otherwise have an appropriate place to live the remainder of their lives.
For more information about Toni & Trish House, consider stopping by one of their "Come and See" programs offered this month. Thursday, February 16 at 10:30am or Sunday, February 19 at 4:00 p.m. Registration is requested at 989-662-6400. You can also learn about T&T and volunteer opportunities there by following this link to their website: T&T House and this one to a YouTube clip: T&T YouTube
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Studio News
Yoga Class Schedule. For class descriptions, schedule and teacher contact information, follow this link: Yoga at The Studio Chakra Class Begins Feb. 7. Back by popular demand, Wilma is offering this 8 week class Tuesdays from 1-2:30 pm. Call her to reserve your spot in this enlightening, nurturing class. 631-4604.
Lost & Found. Have you lost an earring? Gloves? Rain hats? Take a look in the Studio entry for a growing collection of left items. |
Of the Month  For this month, we'll connect our Wellness Workbook chapter (see the Vis column at the left), with our Of The Month topic - Alternate Nostril Breathing.
Breathing certainly has a lot to do with our wellbeing and this particular breathing technique is a fantastic addition to your toolbox of stress relievers and energy givers! But first we need to talk about the breath in general. Breathing is something that we tend to not think about. It happens without our having to think about it. But consider that we can live weeks without food, days without water...how long can we live without air? And how much more do we think about food and water than breathing? Perhaps our priorities should be reconsidered! Talk to anyone who has had an asthma attack, anaphylaxis or suffers from emphysema and they will have a different appreciation for the importance of breathing.
The beauty of breath begins in our autonomic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that functions without our conscious attention. Thanks to the regulatory function of the respiratory center in the brain's medulla oblongata, we do not have to "remember" to breathe. Whether we're sleeping, jogging, engrossed in a thrilling project or a daydream, our respiratory center keeps the breath going. Incidentally, respiratory arrest, possibly resulting in death, may be caused by alcohol, morphine, narcotics and other drugs that depress this same respiratory center.
Our diaphragm is designed to be our primary muscle of breathing. The diaphragm is a thin, dome shaped muscle that runs horizontally through our midsection, separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Hang with me through this science class reminder -- when we inhale, the diaphragm lowers, increasing the volume/size of the chest cavity which decreases the pressure in the lungs, which causes the air in our surroundings to rush into the lungs to fill up the newly created space and balance the air pressures. Exhalation occurs in reverse when the diaphragm relaxes back up into the chest cavity, decreasing its volume/size, increasing its pressure and forcing air out of the nose and/or mouth. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 22,000 times a day this wonderful interaction takes place.
There are also secondary muscles of respiration and a number of chemical factors that participate in the overall process of breathing. And keep in mind that the primary goals of breathing are to provide oxygen to our tissues and to remove carbon dioxide - which are complicated reactions all on their own. These are all well understood parts of respiration.
We are starting to understand more fully, however, that there is more to breathing than respiration. There is an intricate relationship between breathing and the nervous system. Each can and does significantly impact the other. It is very clear how stress and the breath are linked. Less well understood is the concept of "nostril dominance." While systems of yoga have claimed awareness of this for centuries, modern science has only recently begun to study it. It has been well established that our right and left brains have different strengths and functions. It appears that we also have an alternating pattern of breathing through the right and left nostrils which then has an impact on the brain's right and left hemisphere functions and our nervous system.
Although breathing is automatic, there are a number of things we do in our daily life that constrict our breathing and make it much less efficient. Things like chronic stress and worry that keep us on alert, tightening and overuse of the secondary muscles of respiration (in the neck, shoulders and upper chest), poor posture, certain fashion choices (tight things that constrict the belly and/or chest) and racing around with our to-do lists without time to relax all contribute to this inefficiency. Unfortunately, it can be a vicious cycle with stress and poor breath feeding on each other.
Thankfully, breathing is one of our usually automatic bodily functions that we can also voluntarily control. So when we see how our breath can influence our body, we can start to use it in ways that promote our health. I would bet we all have experience in using the breath to impact the nervous system. Who has not told a child - or been told - to take a deep breath when crying so uncontrollably that we cannot speak or catch our breath. Or when we are angry to the point of explosion. Even if we didn't understand the physiology of the command, we knew it would help calm us down. Yet we need not wait to be at such a crisis point to use the breath to promote health and relaxation. It is within our grasp every moment of every day - it only requires our attention.
So we come to Alternate Nostril Breathing. Known in yoga circles as Nadhi Sodhana, it is a simple technique that is extremely calming and balancing. It integrates both sides of the brain and promotes relaxation. A recent study showed Alternate Nostril Breathing to increase parasympathetic (the relaxation side of the nervous system) activity as evidenced by a decrease in pulse rate, respiration rate, and diastolic blood pressure. These results were measured after a daily, 15-minute practice for four weeks. Imagine that you could get a more relaxed body and mind and lower blood pressure in just one month!
Sit comfortably (or stand! - when I'm in a play, I use this before going onstage to calm my butterflies) and close your eyes. Place your right thumb so it is at your right nostril and your right ring finger resting near your left nostril. Your 2nd and 3rd fingers can rest lightly on your forehead, or curl under - whatever is most comfortable for you. They are not doing anything active during this exercise. Begin by closing the left nostril with your ring finger and exhale completely through the right nostril. Then inhale through the right nostril. Close the right nostril with your thumb, release your ring finger and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril. Close the left nostril, then release your thumb and exhale through the right nostril. You are back to the beginning - this is one cycle. Continue the pattern -- Inhale right, close right, exhale left. Inhale left, close left, exhale right. It will become more automatic as you practice - I promise! If you'd like a step-by-step tutorial that you don't have to READ while you close your eyes to try this - follow this link: Alternate Nostril Breathing
A couple tips -- 1. This cannot be done with a plugged up nose! Do not force the breath. If blowing your nose doesn't open up a nostril, you might try a neti pot. Otherwise, wait until later to do this exercise. 2. Be gentle in this breathing. Try to notice that your exhale is at least as long as your inhale, and longer is fine.
3. You don't have to do this for 15 minutes to get a benefit. If you only have time for 5 minutes - that's great.
Start using your breath to promote your health! You'll have more energy, yet be more relaxed, your digestion will improve, your skin will be rosier, your mind will be more focused.... Plus, there's no special equipment to buy! One of the best things for your stress and your health is absolutely FREE!!! |
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So Happy Leap Month and enjoy the extra time. Best wishes to any of you celebrating an ACTUAL birthday this year! I'll send some Mexican sunshine your way at the end of the month.
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Be Well,
Kim Palka, ND
WellSpring Naturopathic |
The information contained in this newsletter is presented for
educational purposes. Nothing contained in it should be
construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or
treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your
physician or other qualified health care provider. Whenever you have any
health care related questions, please call or see your physician or
other qualified health care provider promptly. Always consult with your
physician or other qualified health care provider before embarking on a
new treatment, diet or fitness program. You should never disregard
medical advice or delay in seeking it because of anything you have
read in this newsletter.
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