Life After Stroke

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Chronic conditions and Bowenwork… Alexia Monroe visiting Australia in 2016

Senior US Bowenwork instructor Alexia Monroe is visiting Australia for the International Conference in Cairns where she is offering her continuing education workshop “Chronic Conditions and Bowenwork.”

Additionally she is offering this workshop in Sydney on 20-21 August.

Alexia holds almost 50 years experience in a wide range of healing modalities. Since learning Bowenwork from Ossie and Elaine in 1993 however, she has practiced nothing else. She says, “I devote myself exclusively to Bowenwork because I have not found its equal in any other therapy”.   

This workshop explores:

patterns of chronic conditions and Bowen choices, so as to avoid “scattershot” work on every pain. A decision-tree to help you discriminate, prioritize and know when to stop

strengthening your inquiry skills — gathering sufficient data to overcome your assumptions

challenges in long-term care — dependencies, backsliding, hopelessness, recording small gains, managing friend/client relationships, defining scope of practice

working alongside medical professionals — creating treatment reports, building referral relationships, knowing when to really refer

engaging chronic condition clients — interest groups, explaining Bowenwork, branding your work properly, pricing long-term treatment

Workshop dates available

Sydney: 20-21 August 2016

Cairns: 5-6 September 2016 (after the BAA conference)

Download your Sydney brochure and registration form here.

Registrations for the Cairns workshop are via BAA.

Alexia shares her story…

“Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘the wounded healer?’ Many of us in the field of bodywork fit that description. Many of us have experienced serious health challenges ourselves, and in the process of finding our way back to health, have developed insights and skills that allow us to be helpful to others. Our very wounded-ness becomes our gift.

I have been one of the wounded. In my mid 20s, after years of being health-conscious, I developed a crippling arthritis. For 9 years I had been a vegetarian, practiced yoga and meditation, was a dancer, and had just begun to be a runner. I awoke one morning with a stiff ankle. Didn’t seem so serious. But over the course of a year, that initial sprain spiralled into swelling joints throughout my body. I could barely hobble when my parents took me to the Stanford University Rheumatology Center. Their prognosis was that while it wasn’t rheumatoid arthritis, it was a non-specific degenerative form, and that I would likely need a wheelchair by my mid 30s. They fitted me for a cane on the spot.

By age 30 I was in constant excruciating pain. For 5 years I had tried every holistic avenue I could find: food programs, herbs, copper bracelets, DMSO, gold shots, healing springs, emotional and personal development therapies, prayer and meditation, many kinds of bodywork. I deeply believed that I should be able to ‘affirm myself well;’ I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working!

Cut to the end… over the next 2 years, I gradually found my way back to health and wellness. There was no magic herb, nutrient, vitamin, or bodywork. The result came from 7 years of balancing body chemistry, reducing internal inflammation, polarity of various kinds (I hadn’t yet encountered Bowen therapy), emotional release work, and MSM. It was the overall approach that stopped the condition called arthritis. I was still left with damaged joints, but the inflammatory condition abated.

However, my journey with wounded-ness was not over. In the following 10 years, I developed both a deeply painful carpal tunnel syndrome (from doing deep tissue massage) that lasted 6 years, and a profound chronic fatigue (after living in Asia) that lasted 2 years. Again, I tried every holistic avenue under the sun, and again, worked my way back to health through a combination of many factors. Bowenwork was a significant factor in my recoveries.

Since I learned Bowen therapy in 1993, the last traces of my chronic pain have disappeared. I have paid close attention to Ossie and Elaine’s stories about Tom Bowen’s work with chronic conditions, and I have specialised in treating these conditions in my practice. In Bowen Hands (the Journal of the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia), we practitioners report a lot on our dramatic resolutions of recent injuries and acute conditions, but the long-term chronic and debilitating conditions are less often discussed. Myths abound about Tom Bowen, but in my mind, the most damaging is that he did not work on some people for years on end. He did, and in many cases with no hope of full resolution. I have worked with some clients for 5-10 years. And in 21 years of practice, I’ve witnessed many times what I call ‘slow miracles.’

You can continue reading this post here.

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Protective Role of Bilingualism for Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment

A study of 600 stroke survivors found 40.5% who were multilingual had normal mental functions afterwards, compared to 19.6% who only speak one language. The Edinburgh University study took into account smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and age. It worked with the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences in India.

Post-Stroke Cognitive impairment

The study was conducted in Hyderabad because its multi-cultural nature means many languages are commonly spoken.

The study, published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, found “results support the notion of a protective role of bilingualism in the development of post-stroke cognitive impairment“.

It is the first time a study has been done looking at the relationship between the number of languages spoken and a patient’s cognitive outcome after stroke.

The paper said: “The percentage of patients with intact cognitive functions post-stroke was more than twice as high in bilinguals than in monolinguals.

“In contrast, patients with cognitive impairment were more common in monolinguals.”

Researchers believe the study, which was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research, suggests the mental challenge of speaking multiple languages can boost cognitive reserve – an improved ability of the brain to cope with damaging influences such as stroke or dementia.

Co-author Thomas Bak, of the University of Edinburgh’s school of philosophy, psychology and language sciences, said: “Bilingualism makes people switch from one language to another, so while they inhibit one language, they have to activate another to communicate.

“This switching offers practically constant brain training which may be a factor in helping stroke patients recover.”

Post Protective role of bilingualism for post-stroke cognitive impairment courtesy of  www.bbc.com

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Unbelievable Brain Stroke Recovery From Typically Lethal Stroke

Christian England-Sullivan had an unbelievable brain stroke Recovery. He was studying at UMD to become a special ed teacher. Even at age 22, he realized he was having a stroke. Christian somehow made his way through a door where people might find him since he no longer could talk.

After getting clog-dissolving treatment in Duluth, Christian was flown to United Hospital in St. Paul. On Tuesday, his doctor was able to show him what his brain looked like due to a clot in his brain stem, and then, what his brain looked like 22 minutes later after she used a catheter to remove the clot.

Unbelievable Brain Stroke Recovery From Typically Lethal Stroke

Doctors say 80 percent of people with these kinds of strokes die, but not Christian. He’s accustomed to teaching, but he had to start learning after the stroke.

“People get really depressed at my age. They get really down, like, ‘I can’t do this.’ But hey, I’m like, ‘I’m going to walk today,'” he explained.

He was soon walking, which he wasn’t expected to do for a year. He already wears a Fitbit to log his mileage. He’s making an amazing brain stroke recovery, talking, moving and wants to return to school soon.

First words: ‘I love you’

Christian’s family will tell you he’s a planner. He sets small goals each day, and bigger ones, like talking after his breathing tube was removed. His first words were “I love you.”

“As a baby, it was ‘Mama,’ and I’ll remember that. This one knocks it out of the park,” his mother Marla said.

If there is a final exam for Christian’s class, perhaps is this it: When the subjects in your life change, make a new lesson plan.

Lesson: Stay emotionally strong during brain stroke recovery

“As much as people say, ‘Stay strong,’ emotionally, stay strong, because I’m pretty sure most of my recovery has been because I have emotionally stayed strong,” he preached.

His next plan is to walk out of the hospital on Friday and undergo physical, occupational and speech therapy.

This article appears courtesy of www.fox9.com

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How to Use Music Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation?

A story this inspiring is just one more reason to love “Toxic.”

Here’s the clear winner for heartwarming pop story of the day, how music therapy for stroke rehabilitation helped a 13-year-old girl from Alabama. She has shared a touching story on Facebook about how Britney Spears’ 2003 hit single “Toxic” helped her recover from a brain aneurysm and stroke, and wants to thank the pop superstar for her role in her miraculous return to normal health.

Maegan Johnson, from Phenix City, Ala., wrote a Facebook post last month in which she shared that she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm at 7 years old, and that her parents were told “not to expect a good outcome.” Johnson also suffered a stroke during a procedure, and after a 10-hour brain surgery, she was unable to speak for six weeks.

How to Use Music Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation?

“I had to communicate on a dry erase board and became very depressed,” writes Johnson. “One day someone played one of my [CDs]. The first song did nothing, but the next song was Toxic by Britney Spears-I smiled, tried moving my hips and lifting my arm waving it back and forth in the air trying to dance. That song was incorporated in ALL Therapy Sessions and music therapy for stroke rehabilitation helped me all the time”

#justkeepdancing Ellen please read this. I am 13 years old from Phenix City, Alabama. When I was 7 I had a ruptured brain aneurysm and was airlifted to Scottish Rite Childrens Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. The first week the doctors told my parents not to expect a good outcome. During a procedure to see how bad the bleed was, I had a stroke and it affected my left side. I had a 10 hour brain surgery, afterwards I couldnt speak for 6 weeks. I had to communicate on a dry erase board and became very depressed. I didnt want to smile or communicate. Special visitors came to the hospital like cheerleaders, clowns and dogs for therapy to cheer us up, but nothing worked. Until…. one day someone played one of my cds. The first song did nothing, but the next song was Toxic by Britney Spears-I smiled, tried moving my hips and lifting my arm waving it back and forth in the air trying to dance. That song was incorporated in ALL Therapy Sessions. It has been our hope to get my story to Britney. My parents said as an entertainer and mother, she would appreciate knowing the impact and role she played on my recovery. We have been trying for 6 years through radio stations, emails and all social media, with no luck. Hopefully with your help, my wish will finally come true. I just want to thank her and let her know how much I appreciate her and tell her my story. Thank you! With: Michele Glass Johnson and Carrie Houston Paris

Posted by Maegan Johnson on Wednesday, June 3, 2015

  Six years later, the 13-year-old has posted an inspiring video of herself smiling and dancing to “Toxic,” in a Facebook post that has garnered nearly 270,000 views in less than two months. Johnson uses the hashtag #justkeepdancing and writes that she is still trying to get Spears to hear her amazing tale.

“Hopefully with your help, my wish will finally come true,” she writes. “I just want to thank her and let her know how much I appreciate her and tell her my story.”

Britney Spears’ “Toxic”: a fantastic pop song, and now, a life-saving pop song.  (and thanks to Pop Crush for spotting the music therapy for stroke rehabilitation story!):

Article taken from www.billboard.com

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

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Why home is the best place for rehabilitation after stroke?

Stroke survivors who can leave the hospital early and have a rehabilitation after stroke at home fare better than those who don’t get that opportunity, researchers report in the May issue of Stroke.

“Going home to rehabilitate empowers the survivor and the family to take charge of the care. Instead of being passive observers around the bedside of the patient, they were in charge, actively making decisions and taking action.”

  The best place for rehabilitation after stroke

“They all wanted to go home,” says Mayo, referring to the patients studied. “It was very rare that we would find someone who wanted to spend another six weeks in the hospital. We weren’t pushing people out. If we can provide rehabilitation to people at home, that adds alternatives aside from the hospital.”

A scale to measure physical health found that 3 months after hospital discharge, the average score in the home group survivors rated 5 points higher than the usual care group (who received rehabilitation either in the hospital or at an outpatient rehabilitation center). The home group rehabilitation after stroke also scored higher when measuring daily living activities and reintegration into the community.

Even if a person has what might be considered a “mild” stroke on a neurological scale, it may result in a “major” decline in quality of life. Mayo says this reinforces the need for improved rehabilitation after stroke.

“In the past, there was the belief that if patients could walk and go to the bathroom by themselves, we had done a good job,” says Mayo. “This is terrible. Our expectations for recovery need to be much higher. Rehabilitation should get people back to playing golf, back to work and driving the car. What we currently consider to be good enough simply isn’t anymore.”

The study compared 58 stroke survivors who received a 4-week, individualized home rehabilitation program with 56 survivors who received a typical poststroke care regimen at the hospital or community health clinic.

The survivors who were promptly discharged from the hospital once it was determined the patient was medically stable to do so became the home care group. They received follow-up services at home from nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and dietitians. Those in the usual care group were eligible to receive a similar range of services as requested by the patient’s care provider, but they received their rehabilitation after stroke either in the hospital or at an outpatient clinic.

The home rehabilitation group may have fared better, according to Mayo, because the goals of their rehabilitation were more familiar to them.

“People want to be able to climb the stairs, walk out to their patio or go back to gardening,” says Mayo. “It makes a difference when someone is trying to relearn one of those skills instead of seeing how long they can walk on a treadmill.”

We’d love to enlist you in our ongoing fight to successful recovering from a stroke at home. Email us here today!

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

New Post has been published on http://life-after-stroke.com/why-home-is-the-best-place-for-rehabilitation-after-stroke/

Why home is the best place for rehabilitation after stroke?

Stroke survivors who can leave the hospital early and have a rehabilitation after stroke at home fare better than those who don’t get that opportunity, researchers report in the May issue of Stroke.

“Going home to rehabilitate empowers the survivor and the family to take charge of the care. Instead of being passive observers around the bedside of the patient, they were in charge, actively making decisions and taking action.”

  The best place for rehabilitation after stroke

“They all wanted to go home,” says Mayo, referring to the patients studied. “It was very rare that we would find someone who wanted to spend another six weeks in the hospital. We weren’t pushing people out. If we can provide rehabilitation to people at home, that adds alternatives aside from the hospital.”

A scale to measure physical health found that 3 months after hospital discharge, the average score in the home group survivors rated 5 points higher than the usual care group (who received rehabilitation either in the hospital or at an outpatient rehabilitation center). The home group rehabilitation after stroke also scored higher when measuring daily living activities and reintegration into the community.

Even if a person has what might be considered a “mild” stroke on a neurological scale, it may result in a “major” decline in quality of life. Mayo says this reinforces the need for improved rehabilitation after stroke.

“In the past, there was the belief that if patients could walk and go to the bathroom by themselves, we had done a good job,” says Mayo. “This is terrible. Our expectations for recovery need to be much higher. Rehabilitation should get people back to playing golf, back to work and driving the car. What we currently consider to be good enough simply isn’t anymore.”

The study compared 58 stroke survivors who received a 4-week, individualized home rehabilitation program with 56 survivors who received a typical poststroke care regimen at the hospital or community health clinic.

The survivors who were promptly discharged from the hospital once it was determined the patient was medically stable to do so became the home care group. They received follow-up services at home from nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and dietitians. Those in the usual care group were eligible to receive a similar range of services as requested by the patient’s care provider, but they received their rehabilitation after stroke either in the hospital or at an outpatient clinic.

The home rehabilitation group may have fared better, according to Mayo, because the goals of their rehabilitation were more familiar to them.

“People want to be able to climb the stairs, walk out to their patio or go back to gardening,” says Mayo. “It makes a difference when someone is trying to relearn one of those skills instead of seeing how long they can walk on a treadmill.”

We’d love to enlist you in our ongoing fight to successful recovering from a stroke at home. Email us here today!

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

New Post has been published on http://life-after-stroke.com/5-radical-life-lessons-i-learned-from-people-over-80/

5 Radical Life Lessons I Learned From People Over 80

Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend two talks that deeply touched my heart—both by people who had lived enough life to teach us all a lot about how to do it well. William, successful, 88-year-old entrepreneur, business consultant, and philanthropist and Deborah, the 93-year-old business founder, author, and prominent activist.

After both their talks, people were saying things like, “Wow, I can’t believe they’re that age!” It made me sad to think that living well later in life is a surprise rather than the norm. Thank God for people like William and Deborah, who show us that aging can be an asset, rather than a liability—as long as we make choices today that set us up for vitality in the future.

Being in their presence inspired in me such enthusiasm for life, I wanted to share some of their wisdom with you. Here are a few highlights:

1. The way you start your day really matters

William gets up every morning, goes to the mirror, and laughs out loud. He demonstrated this for us, and the room lit up with laughter. He says starting your day with joy—not taking yourself too seriously—is key to stay young at heart. Deborah encouraged us all to spend at least 30 minutes connecting with our bodies and being in the present before checking or turning on any device. She also said to be grateful for this particular “good morning” every day we hear it. It is not yesterday or tomorrow’s good morning, it is today’s.

2. Longevity is a result of planning ahead

Both speakers emphasized the importance of implementing practices which will help you age well, as early as possible. William demonstrated his boxing moves. Deborah does Pilates five times a week, travels the world, and has the energy of someone less than a third her age.

Aging gracefully requires investment starting now. Simple things like taking care of your teeth (floss!) and ears, exercising regularly, and eating healthy, chemical-free food go a lot way. If you’re not taking care of the amazing body you are gifted with now, you are destined to not get better with age. Make different choices today for a more vibrant tomorrow.

3. Find and follow your passions

It was clear that both William and Deborah love what they do. They have each found ways to use their unique gifts in both business and volunteer environments. They encouraged us to find our passion and ways to express it, because we all have them. Settling or giving up on our dreams is a recipe for assisted living (which Deborah calls “assisted dying”).

Your age is not a handicap and your dreams do not have expiration dates. It is never too early or too late to begin anything.

4. Create and nurture meaningful friendships

Love and connection are crucial to our vitality. We need to consciously surround ourselves with not only our family (spouse, parents, kids, etc.) but also with a soul family. Friendships are paramount to a well-lived life. We all need to have at least two friends we could in the middle of the night who would come running. Being active in our communities and volunteering are wonderful ways to make new friends.

Make sure you have friends that are at least 20 years younger and 20 years older than you, at any given time. When they said this, the friend I had attended the talks with (20 years my senior) nudged me and smiled. I deeply value our connection and learn so much from her—and vice versa. Now I just need an awesome teenager to hang with. (Any volunteers?)

5. Constantly reassess and renew your goals, and always keep learning

Our comfort zones and routines promote aging. Youthfulness requires constant curiosity, and the commitment to taking on new challenges—doing crossword puzzles is not enough! Consistently set new goals for yourself that require you to expand your comfort zone and keep your mind open.

As someone who is passionate about health, I know what a difference life-enhancing choices make—and I intend to still be here blogging (or whatever it will be called then) when I am 93. I hope you take time to connect with the elders in your life and community—they are an untapped resource with deep pools of wisdom to share.

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5 Ways to Retraining the Brain After a Stroke and Maximize Neuroplastic Benefits

Healing the brain after stroke involves working smarter, not harder; and these 5 pillars of stroke recovery will help you do just that. They might seem simple – almost too simple – but trust us when we say that these 5 pillars are what really matter for retraining the brain after a stroke. Let’s get started.

1. Retrain the Brain with Neuroplasticity

To improve motor skills after stroke, you’ll need to perform rehab exercises. This probably isn’t a surprise.

But what might be a surprise is that rehab exercises aren’t solely focused on retraining your muscles – they’re also retraining your brain. Since a stroke impairs your brain’s ability to properly communicate with your muscles, a diligent rehab exercise regimen can help restore this communication. Rehab exercises allow the brain to rewire motor functions that were once held in damaged parts of the brain over to new, healthy parts of the brain. This rewiring process is known as neuroplasticity, and it’s your brains way of adapting and healing itself after stroke.

The next pillar of stroke recovery will explain how to maximize your neuroplastic benefits.

2. Repeat, repeat and repeat for retraining the brain after a stroke

In order to fully reap the benefits of neuroplasticity, you need to utilize a high number of repetitions during your rehab exercises. The more your repeat your rehab exercises, the stronger the new connections in your brain will become. So if you’re diligent about your rehab regimen, you’ll see maximum results.

3. Incorporate Feedback

You need feedback during your rehab exercises to let your brain know that you’re doing the exercises correctly. If you repeat an exercise over and over but you have no way of knowing that you’re doing it right, then you won’t reap the full benefits of your exercise.

Feedback could take the form of a therapist telling you that you’re doing it correctly. Or if you don’t have another person available to give you verbal feedback, you can use at-home rehab devices that provide visual feedback.

4. Set Goals to Accelerate Success

Goal Setting will help keep you focused and motivated on the road to recovery. First set yourself a long-term goal and then break it down into a series of smaller goals that you can work on week by week. That way, you’ll set yourself up to celebrate all the little victories along the way instead of feeling like you’ll never get to a seemingly impossible long-term goal about retraining the brain after a stroke.

5. Meditate to Heal Your Brain!

While meditation might seem a little out of place here, it deserves incredible merit in the world of stroke recovery. Meditation has the power to help reduce anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue after stroke. All three of these symptoms are common side effects during stroke recovery, and meditation can serve as a simple solution. When first starting a meditation practice, it can be quite difficult to silence your mind. But it’s just like rehabilitation exercise: the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

With these 5 pillars of stroke recovery, you can maximize your rehabilitation efforts. Did you know about these pillars? Do you know someone who could benefit from them? Share this article with them to help them out!

Retraining the brain after a stroke via www.flintrehab.com

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What are the Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths?

Most of us know about the importance of iron and calcium for our bodies, but what about magnesium and health benefits of Epsom salt bath? It is the second most abundant element in human cells and the fourth most important positively charged ion in the body. It helps the body regulate over 325 enzymes and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

Most of us are deficient in magnesium, so I’m going to put on my wise-granny hat on here and tell you this: soaking in a bath with Epsom salt, which is high in magnesium, is one of the easiest ways to get a boost.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, American’s magnesium deficiency helps to account for high rates of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive maladies, stress-related illnesses, chronic fatigue and a number of other ailments. Who knew?!

Our magnesium levels have dropped by half in the last century due to changes in agriculture and diet. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from soil and the typical American diet contains much less magnesium than that of our forefathers. And in fact, the modern American diet with its fat, sugar, salt and protein actually works to speed up the depletion of magnesium from our bodies.

Another factor in decreased magnesium levels has been our focus on getting enough calcium. It’s a delicate dance–calcium depletes magnesium yet calcium functions best when enough magnesium is present. Studies indicate that taking a calcium supplement without enough magnesium can increase the shortage of both nutrients. Researchers have found that many Americans have five times as much calcium as magnesium in their bodies, although the proper ratio for optimum absorption of both minerals is two to one.

With such widespread magnesium deficiency one might think that magnesium supplements would be called upon, but studies show that magnesium is not easily absorbed through the digestive tract. The presence of specific foods or drugs, certain medical conditions, and the chemistry of a person’s stomach acid can render magnesium supplements ineffective.

Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath

This brings us to health benefits of Epsom salt bath. Known scientifically as hydrated magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is rich in both magnesium and sulfate. While both magnesium and sulfate can be poorly absorbed through the stomach, studies show increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt! Magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed through the skin. Sulfates play an important role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. They stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are thought to help detoxify the body of medicines and environmental contaminants.

Researchers and physicians suggest these health benefits from proper magnesium and sulfate levels, as listed on the web site of the Epsom Salt Industry Council:

Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.

Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.

Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.

Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.

Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.

Improved oxygen use.

Improved absorption of nutrients.

Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.

Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

All this from a bath? Hurray! While there are many different brands of Epsom salt, they are all the same product chemically, and can be found at most drug stores. Add two cups of Epsom salt and soak for at least 12 minutes. Do this three times weekly.

If you are pregnant or have any health concerns, please check with your doctor before using Epsom salts.

Read more for Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath: www.care2.com

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What are the Benefits of Magnesium & Why 80% of People Have Deficiency?

Why Magnesium is critical for your heart, brain, blood pressure, immune system, digestion, blood sugar & muscle strength and what are the benefits of magnesium?

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2015, Like Dr Carolyn Dean author of The Magnesium Miracle, find out why Dr. Oz, Dr. Mercola, and Dr. Weil think we’re struggling with magnesium deficiency. Find out why it’s critical for your heart, brain, blood pressure, immune system, digestion, blood sugar, muscle strength & more important than calcium.

If you’ve ever struggled with health issues doctors couldn’t solve, then you may be one of the 80% of people deficient in magnesium! It’s responsible for over 800 known processes in the body and counting. If you want to find out if you may be deficient, the simplest ways to remedy it, and the huge positive benefits this could have for your body, then today’s show is for you.

We’re talking with Dr. Carolyn Dean, a leading expert with over 30 books & 110 kindles on the life-changing and ask her what are the benefits of magnesium.

First we’ll discuss the top signs we’re deficient, why the deficiency, and how it shows up in our bodies. We’ll learn what to take, what not to take risks, dosages, and how much is safe! Plus baths, and true “electrolyte” sports drinks you can make at home without all the sugar!

We’ll look at how to re-mineralize your body, reversing osteoporosis and getting stronger, healthier bones. And we’ll look at kicking heart-disease naturally, removing plaque from your arteries, eliminating heart arrhythmia and fibrillation, lowering blood pressure & cholesterol levels, and improving your triglycerides and blood lipid levels.

This is an incredible, not-to-be-missed show to boost your brain power, healthy & fitness, and keep illness and injury away!

If you’ve ever wondered why your energy levels were low, anxiety is up, and your skin’s aging prematurely, then do we have the show for you too!

What are the benefits of magnesium topics covered:

1. Signs of Magnesium Deficiency 2. What is magnesium? 3. What we should do about a magnesium deficiency. 4. Why it’s magnesium, NOT CALCIUM, that’s important for our bones 5. Signs your magnesium levels may be DANGEROUSLY LOW 6. Why Magnesium important for SKIN HEALTH 7. Why magnesium good for anti-anxiety 8. How magnesium reduce your risk of diabetes? 9. Digestion and magnesium 10. Best foods for magnesium 11. Magnesium for MS, ALS, and epilepsy 12. Magnesium for autism 13. Do Sports drinks contain magnesium? 14. How can we make homemade electrolyte drink? 15. CoQ10 destroyed by meds and protected by Magnesium 16. Eye twitching 17. Heart racing 18. Mineral loss in teeth from saliva 19. Magnesium deficiency causing an unhealthy balance of phosphorus and calcium in saliva, which damages teeth 20. Heart Failure, Heart Disease, and boosting your heart health with magnesium 21. Statins, high blood pressure, and magnesium 22. Migraines and magnesium 23. PMS and menstrual cramps and magnesium 24. Muscle cramps, exercise, and magnesium 25. Sleep, constipation, anxiety, migraines 26. Magnesium greatest predictor of heart disease 27. Vitamin D deficiency – Vitamin D and magnesium 28. Blood pressure medication 29. High cholesterol 30. Irritable bowel syndrome 31. Magnesium intake is inversely associated with coronary artery calcification: the Framingham Heart Study. 32. Are researchers using wrong forms of magnesium? 33. www.Requestatest.com magnesium RBC test 34. Why blood tests let us down and why “average” is not good at all. 35. Safe dosages and protocol to begin 36. Risks 37. Atrial Fibrillation and remineralizing your heart 38. Arthritis, kidney stones, osteoporosis (osteoporosis scurvy of the bone) 39. Prostate cancer 40. Are Epson salt baths good? 41. Blood sugar and magnesium deficiency 42. Dosage – minimum for different people 43. Fluoride, fluoridated medications, and boron 44. Brain fog, ADHD, and magnesium 45. Asthma 46. Constipation 47. Diarrhea 48. IBS 49. Colitis, Bronchitis 50. Chronic Fatigue, 51. Cold extremities, 52. Diabetes, 53. Acid reflux, 54. Alzheimer’s, 55. Adrenal fatigue, 56. Blood clots, 57. Angina 58. Cholesterol elevation 59. Anxiety & depression 60. Insomnia 61. How much is initial amount to start out? 62. Starting with Epson salt baths and foot baths…see how it affects them. 63. ADHD & autism, better bowel movements… bowels relax, sleep better, stop being so irritated or irritable. 64. Magnesium citrate powder 66. Magnesium more important than calcium for children’s bones

What are the benefits of magnesium via www.drcarolyndean.com

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

New Post has been published on http://life-after-stroke.com/treat-acute-injuries-and-chronic-conditions-with-a-laser-therapy/

Treat Acute Injuries and Chronic Conditions with a Laser Therapy

Most people will suffer some form of injury or painful condition at some time in their life. Is there a simple, effective way to accelerate healing that doesn’t involve drugs or surgery? The short answer is yes, Laser Therapy can help.

Dr. Phil Harrington is trained as a chiropractic physician, and for the past eight years he’s worked for K-Laser, a company that has developed one of the most powerful and versatile cold lasers available.

At present, I’m passionate about optimizing mitochondrial function for health and disease prevention, and the K-Laser technology can be a helpful adjunct for that as well, especially as it applies to injuries.

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Before Drugs and Surgery, Consider Giving Laser Therapy a Try

Acute injuries, such as strains, sprains, and shoulder injuries

Repetitive-use injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome

Traumatic injuries, such as post-motor vehicle accident with cervical strain/sprain

Chronic issues such as frozen shoulder and arthritis

Just about any issue involving inflammation, tissue damage and/or pain, including but not limited to migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, Bell’s palsy, De Quervain’s syndrome, shingles, low back pain, iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), and plantar fasciitis

  Laser therapy is also used in veterinary medicine, with great success, and this tells us the benefits are not simply due to the placebo effect.

Article via www.mercola.com

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

New Post has been published on http://life-after-stroke.com/how-creative-art-activities-help-stroke-occupational-therapy/

How creative art activities help stroke occupational therapy?

Painting, sketching, drawing, sculpture, collage and doodling all are forms of art used by stroke occupational therapy to improve an individual’s physical and emotional health. Art therapy can help define and treat anxiety, depression, addiction as well as the issues arising from disability and the traumas of illness and loss. Now, it is beginning to be used to help treat physical, cognitive and neurological issues stemming from physical illness such as stroke.

How stroke patients benefit from creative art activities?

The use of art as therapy is grounded in the healing possibilities of the human creative process and through the act of self-expression. Creating an image uses our physical and cognitive sides and making art combines the two. During the rehab process the art therapist and the patient use an art medium to assist the patient with recovery issue such as verbal communication, depression and the physical pain associated with stroke.

Art stroke occupational therapy is a relatively new field, yet studies have shown overall improvement in patients who tried art therapy. Patient feedback has included increased feeling of worth, feeling more in control, feeling more interest in life and more relaxed and sociable.

The left and right sides of the brain are the focus in art therapy. The left side of the brain is responsible for our ability to analyze information, to perform organizational tasks and to communicate verbally. The right side of our brain is responsible for spatial information, what we see, our visual memories and the differences in color and color hues. If our brains are operating as intended, the two sides of our brain integrate with each other and work together.

Unfortunately, a stroke can leave the survivor with one side of the brain damaged and the opposite side of the body with physical deficits. The goal in art as a stroke occupational therapy is for the artist/patient to re-gain a sense of their ability to combine the physical motion with their thought.

How creative art therapy to enhance rehabilitation for stroke patients?

My 8 weeks in rehab did not offer art therapy but rather focused on physical, occupational and speech therapy. Many of us have tried, or currently participate in, alternative healing methods, so why not include the creative process? Our motto ‘recovery never stops” is an inspiration, at least for me, to give art therapy a try.

Okay, sounds good, but I can’t draw! Art therapy is not about what a great artist you are but rather about expressing your personal voice, finding joy in the process and exercising our brains. The art you create is for you. Art therapist Catherine Asher, M.A., believes anyone no matter what age or ability can make art. “People with disabilities can use their mouth or feet to create masterpieces. The important thing to remember is to concentrate on the act of creation its self.”

One of our Strokenet forums focuses on hobbies and sports, and many of the posts express survivor struggles and difficulty in returning to hobbies and interests regarding the creative aspect in life. Motivation, fear, fatigue, physical deficits and the area of our brains affected by stroke can all create barriers to resuming our previous creative projects.

The creative process can take so many forms beyond drawing, painting and sculpture. The important thing is that as stroke survivors we have a way to express ourselves.

Stroke occupational therapy

Much like meditation, when an individual focuses on the act of creating, other issues and problems disappear. For example, the physical act of pounding and throwing clay can relieve stress, just as painting or drawing can be soothing and calming. Just as the art therapy used in rehab, we can use our art to communicate physically what we cannot say verbally. It is through the act of creating and expressing ourselves that we open windows into our emotions, thoughts and problems and give a sense of control and increased self-esteem.

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Our video program will demonstrate and teach you how you can- with a help of a relative, a care giver or a friend- to implement some of the basic techniques. Doing those exercises, techniques and concepts developed from ancient times to the present day, you will have a much better way of life.

Our experienced medical professional is Mr. Hristo Stanchev is going to help you along your path to recovery! He is an experienced and qualified Physiotherapist who has a master degree in Physiotherapy and treats many patients like yourself, every day using the latest techniques in selected European rehabilitation hospitals for the last 10 years.

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New Post has been published on Life After Stroke

New Post has been published on http://life-after-stroke.com/speech-therapy-exercises-for-stroke-patients/

Speech Therapy Exercises for Stroke Patients

How New Technology Supports Speech Therapy exercises

Carol Persad, Ph.D

Carol Persad, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist and director of the University Center for Language and Literacy at the University of Michigan. Keli Licata, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech and language pathologist (SLP) in the university’s Aphasia Program (UMAP), which is part of the Center for Language and Literacy. Persad and Licata emphasized this about technology: In no way does it replace the need for a speech-language therapist. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a necessary and valuable part of speech therapy for survivors.

“Tech tools can be used in therapy … or to supplement therapy as part of a home program designed and monitored by an SLP,” Licata said. They can also be used as assistive devices for a survivor when communicating with others.

Computer programs have long been part of speech-language therapy. But today’s portable and handheld devices — laptops, smartphones and tablet computers — allow survivors to venture beyond the boundaries of the rehab setting.

Kelli Licata, MS, CCC-SLP

Having the ability to practice speech therapy exercises outside of the therapy session is key to recovery.

SLPs customize therapy by incorporating applications and web-based materials to target specific goals. For example, tablets are a good supplement to workbooks, picture cards, newspapers and hard copy books. Apps can be more practical than workbooks, because there are more options available for practice and exercises can be repeated easily. Computerized therapy usually provides feedback on the survivor’s performance, which can increase self-confidence.

“You can also store audio/video files of the therapist producing a certain set of words or phrases so they can practice at home,” Licata said.

The ability to incorporate things from the Internet and sites like YouTube is “something that is very important for maintaining motivation and engagement in therapy,” Licata said. For instance, developing picture dictionaries that include actual photos of family, friends, objects and realistic situations. These are common tools that are personally meaningful and useful for the survivor in therapy as well as in other environments.

“It is important that all clinicians learn how to incorporate technology into their daily practice to maximize motivation and potential for success,” Persad said. “Researchers at UMAP and other programs have demonstrated that intensive therapy is key to better recovery in people with aphasia, and technology can help us provide that intensity.”

Research shows that a minimum of nine hours of speech and language therapy is needed. But this often doesn’t happen due to limited resources and insurance constraints. Technology, directed by a speech therapist, is a great way to help survivors get additional hours.

How Technology Supports Independence

“Smartphones and tablet computers such as the iPad are very popular, and we have found them to be extremely beneficial and practical for many survivors,” Licata said. They’re small and light-weight compared to devices designed specifically to assist with communication and nothing else. This makes them easier to carry for those with physical limitations.

“These tools are used for speech therapy exercises by many different people for many different reasons, and our survivors feel they stand out less in a crowd when using one,” Licata said.

There is a wide variety of useful applications (apps), with new ones becoming available all the time. The use of features on smartphones such as calendars, notes, reminders and alarms can be very helpful to people with language and other cognitive deficits for speech therapy exercises.

Because the devices are portable, they can be used in many different settings. “That promotes independence and increased participation in daily activities, in line with the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia.”

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10 posts!