Christmas Time

Hi, again....
It's Christmas time, I am amazed that it is here again already.....
Today was wonderful, I had a great day with people I love and really great food. One of my Christmas wishes came true with the addition of a valued friend and colleague coming on broad with Stretch 4 Life.
As I was watching the movie Julie & Julia again for the second time it struck me that I am not alone in the quest of doing something new and different. So to all of us who are chasing the dream don't give up because it is something worth doing or maybe it is just good to have something to do.
Stay Healthy and Merry Christmas.........

Alzheimer's and Breathing Muscles

Hi,
I recently read a Press Release about a Study that Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago just released about a four year study they did on the use of breathing muscles and muscle strength. They found that if someone had the proper use of the breathing muscles they could reduce the likelihood of getting Alzheimer's. Or at the very least slow down it effects.
For more information can be found at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center or online at Archives of Neurology, November 2009.
If you are wondering why I would be so excited about this particular article it is because my breathing technique are the same ones that will help sustain good breathing muscles for years to come.
Stay Healthy......

Stress and Allergies

Hi,
I just ran across some interesting information on Stress and Allergies, did you know that stress can make allergies start or become more problematic for you.
One of the best ways to reduce the effects of allergies is through acupressure. I love it. I live here in allergy capital of the world, so until I was in my 40's, I pooh poohed other members of my family(Husband) who was a suffer but now the roles have reversed and I'm no longer pooh poohing anyone who is a walking; itchy, eye watering and head plugged up suffer.
So, unite with me do stretching to reduce your stress and go see someone who is an acupressure practitioner for allergies.
Stay Healthy.....

Review of " Active Isolated Stretching"

Hi,
I recently read an article in one of my professional journals on the topic of stretching. I have the whole article posted on the website for all of you to read.
The writer is a Massage Therapist with years of experience which I found refreshing and also confidence building because I found the same truth about how muscles work.
My design of stretch is similar to his but we do vary slightly.
One of the parts,in the article talk's about what the deep breathing part of stretching can achieve, we differ on the use of oxygen; he says it a fuel and I know it is used to ignite the muscles to burn the glucose so it will not get converted into lactic acid leading to muscle fatigue and soreness. For my part stretch has always been about wellness and getting you the customer the best possible care. Toward this goal is why I have worked so hard to get the message out about what can be accomplished on your own with just a few stretches done literally in seconds.
This is the same goal that the therapist in this article also has in mind but he would rather you come to his office and pay for him to guide you through this process. Some people need that but not everyone, certainly not for extended periods of time.
If we are to achieve wellness together, we have to assist everyone in find the right tools to do the best job.
Stay healthy........

Foot Soak Your Troubles Away

Hi, again
I find it interesting that so many new ways to be healthy keep cropping up but as whole we don't seem to be getting healthier.
I was talking to a friend about the people we see on a regular bases who are always trying out the latest fad diet, gimmick, or supplement with one goal and that is to be physically fit.

There are three fundamental principles that our bodies function on;

• nourishment
• rest
• movement

All other activities will be achieved without assistants if the body is not seriously ill.
That includes detox, your body wants to get rid of its own waste. The skin is the largest organ of elimination, we have as well as the urinary and the colon. If that layer isn't enough then we have the lymphatic system also.
To say that some kind of special foot soak is going to replace or supplement what your body already does is an interesting way to spend money but I would rather have a pedicure and leave the waste removal for the bathroom where it belongs.
Stay Healthy.....

What does A Men's Health Article Say about Stretch

Hi,
I had the privilege of reading a very popular health magazine's take on stretch. I could not have been more please with the tone and direction the article was headed toward except for they did not go far enough. Because they understood the relationship between fascia( connective tissue) and muscles which is great place to start but you have to stay with the muscles because their functions in the area of blood supply and breathing are the keys to mending and repairing of muscles.
Stay Healthy......

How To Find The Best Shoe For You

Hi
I'm finally back to tell you the secrets on how to get the right and the left shoe.
Needs To HAVE......

• Arch Support
• Firm Fitting around the heel and ankle
• Ample room for the toes to move around
• No Rubbing on sides, top, and heel of foot
• Try on shoes at the end of a day

All brands vary so just keep trying them til you find the bests ones for your feet.
Always, the shoe must feel like it is part of your foot, not like your foot is part of the shoe.

More About Shoes...

Hi Again,
Do you want to keep your therapist happy or your feet? The problem is that shoes are built in a variety of ways but we need shoes that always feel like part of our foot not an adornment to our foot. I know what you are thinking, "But Lori, these shoes are so beautiful and they match my outfit so well..." And I will tell you to go ahead and wear them for an evening out, for just sitting and looking pretty, go for it, I'll be doing the same. But the day in and day out stuff where you are in need of energy and vitality and feet that don't hurt, you will need these critical tips for making wise choices in shoes:

• Arch support -you should feel the arch come up and hold your foot, holding that inside arch.
• Comfort around the heel - not slipping, not sliding, but all the way up around the back of your heel to the place where your top of your heel connects to your ankle (the joint area) feels secure and supported.
• Ample room for toes to spread out and move around - not crunched up or sliding into the tip of your shoes. You need to be able to draw your toes up, spread them out and wiggle them around.
• No "slop" allowed - Areas where your foot is slipping around. This can happen around the heel, sides of the foot, top of the foot and the toe area where it is rubbing on the big toe. (People can get a fairly large callous on the side of the big toe!) Wherever the shoe is rubbing unnaturally, you'll have a callous and pain.

Up Next... How to try on shoes.
Stay Healthy...

What is in a Shoe?

Hi,
Shoes,shoes, and shoes.
I love them, but when you need them to help you to hold your balance and retain your alignment, you need them to aid in your ability to stand on the surfaces of your feet.
Stay Healthy.......

Repetitive Motion Part 3

Hi,
I was talking to a young friend last night about her shoulder injury, and I was trying to explain the importance of using the whole body in every activity. Even the act of healing, takes the entire body finding balance. I call this postural interrogation and structural realignment. This means when your muscles are connect in a fluid(movement) train then and only then can they work effectively together.
This is especially true when an injury has occurred because healing to the muscles is both a movement action and a blood and waste removal dance that the body has to perform to achieve healing.
Stay Healthy..........

Repetitive Motion Part 2

Hey,
I'm back with the news on wrist, elbow and arm injuries in general....
Did you know that all muscle injuries caused by repetitive motion start in your large muscle groups which are the muscles of the abs and chest?
The reason for this is that all muscular movement has to start from the area of origin and then into the smaller more movable area such as the arm, wrist and hand.
Stay healthy.....

Repetitive Motion

Hi, I'm back ranting about one of my favorite topics.....
Did you know that all actions performed by muscles are repetitive by the nature of repeating the action?
I like to think of muscles as a two year old kid who has discovered that they can leave their parents side and come back all on their own without anyone else help. The muscles that we use repetitively are that impatient kid who knows you can't do anything with them and you can't live without them.
So, take a moment and ask your self how long have I sat in this one spot, did I get up and move around recently or have I paid attention to the muscles that I'm hoping will still let me walk with them after I have restrain them for so long today.
An just like that two year old, the muscles are whining, " Can I have a glass of water" not because they want to stay up late but because they do want some TLC.
Stay Healthy........

Upcoming Event

Hello,
I'm very excited about the North Texas Book Festival coming up this weekend on April the 18th from 9am til 4pm. I'll be speaking from 2:30 until they drag me off the stage, so come cheer me on and buy some great books. The event is to support literacy, do you remember the first book that you read that change the way you thought or felt about the world around you?
I do it was the story about kids playing in a boxcar and the adventures that their imagination would allow them to have,that book provide me away to know that what the mind can conceive we can do.

I want to put the word out there that I am looking for baby models for my new book, Stretch For Pregnancy. Male or Female, newborn to 9 months of age. Please send your name, the child's name and a picture of your child to my email, stretchforlife@yahoo.com. The parent or legal guardian of the child will need to sign a release form.  Deadline for applications is June 1, 2009.  This is not a paying modeling job. Please tell friends and family to apply. Hope to see pictures coming in soon.

Updates on All Topics

Hey,
I know it has been awhile but I've been really busy for which I am very grateful. If anyone needs to change jobs or is looking for a change in life they should look toward homeopathic medicine or alternative therapies because with the changes coming these careers will come out strong.
There are all kinds of upcoming events to look forward to....
Wellness Group is taking a break until March 24
Christian Book Expo is coming on March 19-22 at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas
Also, yours truly will be at the North Texas Book Festival at the Visual Arts Center in Denton, Texas on April 18.
See you around!

Wellness Fair in Denton, Texas

Tomorrow is a Wellness Fair at the Technology Education Center in Denton is having a Wellness Fair of course I'll be there so come out and see what's new and also all of the information you can gain.
Information Is Power!

My Thyroid Story

"Idiots Guide to Thyroid"
This is the title of one of my upcoming books. I would like to have other peoples stories to compare and contrast with mine if you are interested in participating or just following along please email me with your comments and questions.
To send your stories please only email or to leave questions I can answer on the blog just leave a comment.
Thank you for all your help.

Free Medical Tests

Did you know if you attend the Denton Wellness Group you will get free medicals tests and also a whole host of other great information. You should check it out!
Next Tuesday at 7pm the group will be talking about Supplements. If you need directions or more details just email me.

Wellness Groups

If you are looking for a good way to plug into information on wellness for free you should look to see if there are wellness groups in your area with free scening on health issue for Thyroid, Blood Pressure, and so on. If their focus is on homeopathic remedies then I say go for it because knowledge is power to know something about your body gives you the power to proceed with self-care or the knowledge to find the right Doctor.

Health Insurance vs. Self Care

As we all know things are going to change about how Health Insurance dollars are spent, as the new up coming policies change, but one thing remains the same that what we do to participate in our own health care is to look to prevented first, last and always. You may need to have more weapons on the side of Self Care to take up the slack when Health Insurance dollars diminish.
Because, you are your best supporter when it comes to your own body.

Speaking Engagement

Coming Up!
I have a speaking engagement next Tuesday at 7pm, at a Doctors office in Denton, Tex.
This is one of my favorite things to do, is to go and answer questions talk alittle about why the muscles need to stretch and how this one of the single best ways to care for your body.
So, if you can, please come on by.
For more information just send an e-mail to stretchforlife@yahoo.com.

Fruit vs. Pasta

So, many diets lump all foods that break down into sugars, once they are digested into the same category. But that is not a good comparison because your body will store the complex sugars from foods such as pasta but the simple sugars from fruit will only be used until your body no longer needs them and then will eliminate all the rest.
Challenge:
Let's see how much fruit you can consume without gaining weight.
Let's just say you will need to have no plans if you take this challenge.......

Travel Segment

This new section of the blog will be entitled " Travel Segment" as I go out into the world to do speaking engagements. I will fill you in on the best and worst of my travel adventures.
Recently, I have become involved in the world of time share. I'm not sure if I like it or if it just has to grow on a person but you want talk about pushy sales people, who promise the moon until you don't know what you've actually bought or what kind of service you'll actually get.
Time Share that's the way to experience a whole new level of confusion.

Muscles Never a Lost Cause

Lucky for you muscles are very resilient and are never a lost cause. Scar tissue can be smoothed down with the right kind of action and muscles are willing to regain their flexibility because of the way the blood supply works through the muscles especially the core abs.
If you need tips on stretches to do; do not hesitate to ask once you start your stretching program some times the best way to start is with diaphragmatic breathing. Thank you for that great question.

To Gain Flexibility in Core

The easiest way to gain flexibility is through a series of movements made through the sections of core abs starting with the pelvic floor and working your way up to the diaphragm.
All of these can be found on my book or DVD call "Stretch For Life".
Thank you for your question.

Foundation Muscle or the Core Abs

Where are my core abs and are they important?
The most important part of us is the foundation muscles and those are in the abs without them we don't sit, stand, or walk. The most unknown one is the pelvis floor muscle, this is the muscle that hangs like a hammock under us and supports all from the ascending and descending muscles. Often people think in order to have strong abs they have to look a certain way i.e. the "six pack" but strength inside the core is flexibility not stiffness.
The only way to achieve good ab strength even after surgery or trauma of any kind is to regain flexibility.
There are easy things that can be done sitting or standing without pain an just a few minutes a day. Any questions down hesitate to contact me.

Working Out and The New Year

How many times do we need to see celebrities lose and regain the same amount of weight over and over again......
I learned awhile ago that my body has a certain way in which it will or will not adjust to change whether that is emotional or physical. There are a couple of things that are alway true no matter how you are attempting to become healthy.
1) You have to get proper rest during the night and through out the day, yes I did say day
2) Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition no matter what any diet says or advocates your body will do nothing long term if you are deprived of nutrients.
3) Also, exercise is a wonderful part but if you do not have the proper frame work to start with you will not be successful, it is like trying to set the rest of a building up when the foundation is not level.
If you need some good tips on how to start and be successful don't hesitate to leave comments.....

New Year Revolution

Happy New Year!
I want to start a new year revolution about the topic of stretch vs. exercise.
We all need to start something new usually at this time of year, it just lends itself to beginning again. Exercise programs are started every year but rarely are we able to keep up or follow through with them. Because most of them are based on the fact that the body is healthy and ready to be worked out at a mid range level. Only after the person starts and begins to feel weak, ill, or unable to complete simple tasks that the program is stopped. Well, I have a solution, start with stretch and you can heal your body and then start a program that will take you to that long awaited goal.