Category: Physiology

Deep Breathing Benefits

Breathing Deeper – more than just more oxygen

Learning how to regulate the breath is truly one of the key components to maintaining good health and well-being. Most people do not regulate their breath or even think about it, until a health issue presents itself.
Deep Breathing Benefits
Breathing shallow helps the body to produce cortisol and adrenaline.
Breathing deeper helps the body to produce dopamine, oxytocin, seratonin and endorphines.
Controlling how you breathe can affect your emotions.
Emotions cause the brain to adjust and affect the body’s blood chemistry.
The blood chemistry directly affects the internal organs and consequently all of the bodily systems and functions.
For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119

Sciatic Pain – What are Some Options?

Sciatic Pain -What are Some Options?

This is very similar to my recent post on knee pain. Back, knee, shoulder, neck – it really is the same basic issue. What is your plan?

sciatica-causes & treatment graphic

Become educated should be number 1, no?

  • Give it a rest? Sit, stand or lie down?
  • Ice or heat? When is one more beneficial?
  • Keep active? When do you decide to get moving again?
  • Go to your doctor? Chiropractor, physical therapist? Alternative exercise coach?
  • Get an x-ray? MRI?
  • Medicate? Anti-inflammatories (nsaids), opioids?
  • Surgery? Microdiscectomy, spinal fusion, epideral?

Compressed spine

Depending upon your issues, maybe yes to all of the above. Without knowing how serious your injury is, it can be difficult to plot a course to relieve the pain and gain back confidence in your activities. You need to do the homework and research to become educated as to what injuries are typical and what the options are to move forward.

sciatica-one part affects other parts

I am not a doctor nor claim to be.  However, I have a different health, fitness and well-being background spanning almost 40 years. Starting martial training at the age of 16, I have continued training, studying and teaching ever since. Traditional Chinese medicine and qigong can also be studied within some martial arts lineages, which I have pursued. Martial arts is deeply connected to fitness and health, aside from the obvious self-defense benefits. My fellow instructors (and students) and I were taught that it was easier but not ethical to injure someone unless justified. More honorable was to heal injuries or train and teach to not become injured.

sciatica-pain & numbness

The point of this article is not to dissuade anyone from gaining medical treatment. But rather to encourage the acquiring of information and learning what ones options are before committing to a surgical procedure that may or might not improve your current situation. There is always a risk of having a worse set of circumstances after the procedure. There is not much lost nor risk of trying non-impact exercises, other than ones time and effort. If the exercises don’t produce the desired results of pain reduction and back stability, one can always elect to have the surgical procedure afterwards, which will undoubtedly require pain meds, physically therapy and exercises after surgery anyway. Pay now or pay later – another term often used in the healthcare industry.

sciatic anatomy page2

The above exercises are a sample of various yoga and qigong type of movements that can offer relief of pain for some individuals. Again, it is imperative that the individual becomes educated and aware of their particular situation is and what movements will help or hinder their body.

Be well, stay health, be wise.

Jim Moltzan

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

https://www.facebook.com/MindAndBodyExercises/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

The Cross Crawl Concept

Opposition or contralateral, in regards to body movement or mechanics, means that opposite sides of the body work together to coordinate the right arm and left leg, and then the left arm and right leg. Ipsilateral refers to same side coordination.

stair climbing3

Cross crawl refers to movements in which we use opposition such as walking, climbing, crawling, walking, running, and swimming. These are intentional cross-lateral activities, which you cross the mid-line of the body. Touching the hand to the opposite knee or foot.

examples of cross crawl

This type of movement builds the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This allows for the electrical impulses and information to pass freely between the two hemispheres. This is essential for physical coordination as well as cerebral activities, such as reading, listening, teaching or learning a skill, and hand-eye coordination.

brain2

The cross crawl technique is an easy way to activate brain development and the nervous system. It gives motor and sensory stimuli needed to take control of bodily functions, thereby preventing or rehabilitating health problems. Exercises from martial arts such as Tai Chi (kung fu), qigong and yoga focus greatly on contralateral and ipsilateral movements throughout their curriculum.

Advanced examples

Exercise methods like these have been known for centuries, but are considered new or “alternative” to modern western culture.
Learn how this all works from private, small or group instruction.
Be well!
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119

 

Poor Circulation Starts in the Toes & Fingers

Poor circulation or Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is the restriction of blood flow to the arteries of the arms and legs. When arteries become narrowed by the accumulation of cholesterol and other materials on the walls of the arteries also known as plaque, the oxygen-rich blood flowing through the arteries cannot reach the fingers and toes.

Poor Circulation3

As trees and plants age or lack water and nutrients, it becomes more difficult for the water to travel to the parts farthest from the roots, being the leaves and branches. This is why we see the leaves on trees and plants whither before they die. Just like a tree, our bodies have difficulty getting the blood to circulate to the farthest parts from the heart, being the fingers and toes. This concept leads to the thought that we need to put extra attention towards the fingers and toes to insure good blood circulation throughout the whole body.

Often people look for medicine to achieve this, when in reality a balanced diet and proper exercise can be the solution. Most people that do exercise, usually don’t focus specifically on exercising the toes and fingers and consequently still develop arthritis, rheumatism and other issues within the hands and feet. Tai Chi, qigong and yoga are methods that engage all parts of the body literally, from head to toe and not just the main muscle groups.

Be well and stay healthy!

Jim Moltzan

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

https://www.facebook.com/MindAndBodyExercises/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

 

Breathing Deeper – more than just more oxygen!

Breathing Deeper – more than just more oxygen

Learning how to regulate the breath is truly one of the key components to maintaining good health and well-being. Most people do not regulate their breath or even think about it, until a health issue presents itself.

Breathing shallow helps the body to produce cortisol and adrenaline.

Breathing deeper helps the body to produce dopamine, oxytocin, seratonine and endorphines.

Controlling how you breathe can affect your emotions.

Emotions cause the brain to adjust and affect the body’s blood chemistry.

The blood chemistry directly affects the internal organs and consequently all of the bodily systems and functions.

Watch my online instruction to get a better understanding on how and why to breathe deeper.

For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

https://www.facebook.com/MindAndBodyExercises/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

https://umareg.com/masters-council/