CoronaVirus Prevention Daily Routine Tip #2: Bag Breathe

Hi!
I hope everyone is doing well during this stressful time in history.  As we "Shelter in Place", I wanted to share a very helpful breathing tip to help calm you down and give your brain the nutrients it needs for healthy function.

I explain what's going on when you bag breathe in the video but in a nutshell, we need carbon dioxide for healthy blood.  The medulla monitors our blood gas balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. When it's off balance, the kidneys are stimulated, the lungs are turned on and hormones are turned off/on to balance it out.

The take home:  You need carbon dioxide because it is a messenger molecule that takes the blood oxygen INTO the cell so the brain can use it.  Carbon dioxide gives the brain energy.

We're a bunch of shallow breathers and do too much mouth breathing.  Overoxgyenation stresses your brain and body out.  In times of stress like now, we're shallow breathing, mouth breathing and not doing enough exhaling!

Start breathing into a bag to DE-STRESS YOUR BODY AND BRAIN.  Carbon Dioxide dilates blood vessels, allowing more blood flow, especially in the brain.

Watch video to see how.   Then practice breathing into a bag 30-45 seconds, 4-5 times per day and calm down.  Exhale longer than you inhale.  Be aware.  Exhale.

The 

Got Hip Pain? Move those nerves!

This beautiful first weekend in March, I'm in Phoenix at an advanced level neuroscience training weekend.  Four days of brain-based vision and speed mechanics.  Practicing for this certification, I pushed it too hard and now my hip flexors are killing me.  It's humbling but coaches need coaching, too.  

Luckily, I'm here with the best of the best Z-Health Neuro-Performance Coaches to get some relief for my pain.  Through testing, it's determined that I have a nerve problem!  It's time to practice what I preach in my  "Holistic Hip Pain" Workshop  and do those nerve movement drills!

Essentially,  we are really just one big nerve.  One nerve that crosses a lot of joints.  The more joints a nerve crossed, the greater the chance it will get "entrapped" or "compressed" along the route of our body; especially in tight places like the shoulder, hip and low back.  

As a Z-Health Practitioner, I follow an 8-Levels Model approach toward assessing and working with a client.  From the outside in, Level 1 receptors transmit information to Level 2 peripheral nerves.  My hip pain is along the peripheral nerves.  

When working with peripheral nerves, one must consider health and function of each nerve; particularly areas of pain.  Dr. Cobb teaches us how to do "neuromechanic drills" for specific nerves to help relieve specific aches, pains and problems.  

Holistic Hip Pain Workshop with The Fall Prevention Lady

Neuromechanic drills are designed to help nerves be healthier and function better, which includes better sensation, better strength, and better neural mobility and resiliency (i.e., the nerve can stretch and slide and handle compression during body movements). 

These "nerve glides: can be used when there’s a deficit or you just need a boost, and they can be included as a regular part of more systematic movement programming.  

If you’re taking joints through full ranges of motion on a regular basis, you may also want to take muscles through full ranges of motion and nerves through full ranges of motion at some point as well. 

I haven't been exercising so my femoral, peroneal and tibial nerves need a boost!  

Neuromechanic drills are amazing option to add to your regime if you want to move better.  Schedule a session with me or join me in an upcoming Holistic Hip Pain workshop to learn how to do nerve glides for better performance. 

The Fall Prevention Lady

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Arthritis and Balance Training

Whenever I ask my group classes, "Who has arthritis?" the common response is laughter and the retort, "Who doesn't?".  Yes it's true as we age, our joints undergo more wear and tear and the likelihood of developing osteo-arthritis increases.  Osteoarthritis results from 'overuse' of joints throughout life and as a result, joints become stiff and movement can be painful.

More and more scientific research articles are showing the direct link between diet, inflammation and arthritis.  Study after study shows that if a person eats the so-called 'heart-healthy' fats, polyunstaturated fatty acids to be exact, inflammation increases and cases of arthritis and diabetes increases.

To reduce likelihood of arthritis or manage symptoms, a person needs to eliminate PUFAs (cheap vegetable oils like canola, safflower and corn oil) from the diet and eat more saturated fats such as coconut oil.    I'm not a nutritionist but I am brain practitioner.  I study what's needed for a healthy metabolism and optimal energy production.

Because this blog is about arthritis, I wanted to first address what you're putting in your mouth.  Don't eat nuts, nut butters and nut oils.  Stay away from polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA, as they increase inflammation and pain.  Here's a link to one scientific article explaining the ramifications of eating polyunsaturated fatty acids:  LINK TO PUFA DANGERS

In addition to eating healthy,  it's important that a person with arthritis start moving those joints.   The Arthritis Foundation states the best line of action is to strengthen the muscles that surround and support each joint for less painful movement.

As a Z-Health Brain Practitioner, I believe that movement is the remedy for most all complaints.  If you move better, you feel better.  When talking about joints (where bones meet), movement produces synovial fluid.  Synovial fluid is the "feel good juice" produced when joint move because it actually changes the biochemistry of the blood.

Without movement, cartilage and bones suck up all the synovial fluid.  The result is excruciating pain with movement.  For reduced pain, keep the joints moving to produce those feel good juices.

I'm not saying joint mobility will cure arthritis but moving those joints can increase synovial fluid and make movement less painful.  Consistent movement reduces pain but you have to move the joints enough to reap the benefits.

Please keep your joints moving.  Think circles, in both directions. Avoid PUFA at all costs and don't give up.  Movement is life and it's time to start living.

No such thing as coincidence

I just started a new class in a gated community for mature adults in Rocklin, California.  We were almost finished introductions when a lady walked in asking for the high intensity interval class.  I told her I didn't know about aerobics class but this was a Brains and Balance training class.  She quickly asked if she could watch and then decide if she wanted to join.

She and her husband are new to the area and the students, her neighbors, welcomed her.  Turns out she is a stoke survivor and is always somewhat concerned about her balance.  After introductions, we did a joint mobility warm-up, some vision drills and then some sensory balance activation drills.

Our newcomer had one main compliant; her right shoulder.  She couldn't raise it over her head, it pinched if she moved it certain ways.  As a nervous system specialist, I immediately thought a pinched nerve, the axillary nerve to be exact, and stopped the class to guide her through a nerve glide.

She hesitantly followed along and struggled with some of the step-by step instructions.  She struggled because she didn't know how to move her shoulder blade the way I was asking her.  We slowed down and I coached her through the movement.  Suddenly she smiled with the newfound, pain-free movement she could do with her arm.

At the end of the class she came to me and said she wasn't sure about joining until I 'fixed' her shoulder.  She had been struggling with nagging shoulder pain and limited range of motion since her stroke six years ago.   She was amazed and decided she wanted more!

There are no coincidences!

Legally blind still need to train eye muscles

Vision is so more than eye sight.  This US Veteran is legally blind and learned how to train his eye muscles for less pain, better posture and more confidence.

Neurology is so cool.

Legally blind student in Brains and Balance Training class in Ranch Cordova explains how the vision drills have helped him.

As his instructor, I watched his eye movement improve tremendously..  His left was exophoric the first day, meaning the eye ball would look out to the side.  Through targeted vision training drills to strengthen the weak eye muscles, his left eye is now more 'in line' and focused forward.  Not bad for a four-week class.

He has had multiple back surgeries and spinal fusions so in order to live completely free of pain will require a lot of practice of vision and targeted brain activation drills.   All things are possible when you believe.

"You gotta believe it to see it".

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Diminished after One Private Session

This year, I'm six years cancer-free.   It seems like a lifetime ago but thanks to the best oral cancer team in the country at UCDavis Cancer Center, I truly appreciate each day of my life without cancer.  Of my team members, the radiation nutritionist always made me laugh by keeping everything in perspective.  She was a beam of sunshine among rays of radiation.

Even though we're facebook friends, I was surprised when she contacted me about some balance training services.  In her early sixties,  she's active and looking forward to her upcoming retirement except for one problem:  she's been falling down.


The last fall was totally unexpected and her inability to react quickly enough due to severe knee pain scared her.  She's lost her confidence and feels like she's crawling through life guarded and scared.

She's an educated healthcare professional who knows there's more to life than living in fear (of falling) and in constant pain so she opened her mind and reached out to me.

After an extensive health history, we started some movement drills because movement makes her feel better!  Her number one complaint was knee pain.

We did some brain-based pain relief drills and she immediately felt 'lighter'.  Due to several falls from horseback riding, the nerves in her legs were entrapped.  Nerves that can't move can't transmit signals very well and shooting pain or muscle weakness results.  We did some neuromechanics to get those nerves moving.

Ninety-minutes later, she was walking better and was no longer focused on the knee pain but was thinking more about her walking gait.  She left with a list of exercises to do at home.

The next morning I received and email from her saying she was doing the drills as recommended and her knee pain was almost entirely gone!  She is hopeful about regaining control over her body and living her life without fear of falling.

If you're approaching retirement or are already enjoying your golden years and are living with chronic body pain, you need to contact me.  Pain is an output of the brain and with precise drills, we can send better signals TO the brain for better output (aka, no pain).

Holistic management of chronic pain.  No pills, just simple, subtle strategies to give your brain what it needs for pain-free movement.  I know this sounds "out there" but trust me, your doctor isn't going to give you these drills because they want to give you a knee replacement.

Stop the madness. Stop the pain.  Contact me today.  info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Conquer Hip and Knee Pain in Fall Prevention Class

Most improved student described how the four-week brain-based balance training classes taught her exercises to manage her hip and knee pain.

As a Z-health Practitioner, I teach people how to activate areas of the brain that inhibit pain.  In other words, I teach drills that turn off pain.  Based on laws of neurology, opposing joint drills help people manage pain.  

This 66 year old frequent faller explained how many times she had fallen and how worried she was about falling again.  While her goal was to become more steady when walking, she surprisingly learned exercises to take her out of pain.

She doesn't have hip or knee pain anymore.  She learned drills to increase her awareness of surroundings, how to react to imbalances and what to do if she is falling.   Mostly, she increased her lower body flexibility by nearly one foot!

While she was seven inches from touching her toes on day one, she can now reach six inches past her toes!  Her legs are significantly stronger as evidenced by standing up five more times in 30 seconds!  She moves more stable and with greater confidence as shown by her ability to get up and walk around a cone nearly two seconds faster!

Gain control of your body.  Gain confidence.  

Lose your fear of falling.  Lose your pain.  

Enroll in my brain-based Balance Training classes. YOu're worth it!  Your future depends on it.
February:  Woodland Senior and Community Center
March:  Fair Oaks and Rancho Cordova and Rocklin
April:  Woodland Senior and Community Center