<![CDATA[ Wholistic Bodyworks LLC

<![CDATA[ Wholistic Bodyworks LLC - Meri's Blog]]>Sun, 20 May 2012 17:11:02 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Wholistic news you can use]]>Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:51:19 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2011/11/wholistic-news-you-can-use.html

Ways to stay healthy this flu season
As flu season is already upon us, this seems the logical begin. I will not address the issue of flu shots because I feel it is outside my scope of practice, and a decision that each person should discuss with their doctor and make for themselves. But I will give you practical tools to help boost your immune system and get you through the winter months healthier.

Yes, there are scientific reasons that people get sick more often in the winter. In an article written by the Health Sciences Institute in Baltimore, they report that viruses thrive in a temperature of about 41 degrees and their duration time is longer. So, cold weather alone provides an optimal breeding ground for many viruses. Add lifestyle changes, shortened days and holiday or comfort foods and a stage can easily be set for illness.

If you do only one thing to boost your immune system - eliminate sugar. You will see noticeable results in your energy levels, sleep patterns, immunity and your ability to think clearly when you break the cravings and stop eating refined sugar. Many holistic nutritionists consider sugar a drug due to its impact on the human body. Healthier sweeteners such as agave, stevia and brown rice syrup exist and are a tasty and healthy alternative. Still not sure? Consider the following…

"… A 100g portion of sugar can significantly reduce the capacity of white blood cells to engulf bacteria. Maximum immune suppression occurs one to two hours after

Yes, there are scientific reasons that people get sick more often in the winter. In an article written by the Health Sciences Institute in Baltimore, they report that viruses thrive in a temperature of about 41 degrees and their duration time is longer. So, cold weather alone provides an optimal breeding ground for many viruses. Add lifestyle changes, shortened days and holiday or comfort foods and a stage can easily be set for illness.

If you do only one thing to boost your immune system - eliminate sugar. You will see noticeable results in your energy levels, sleep patterns, immunity and your ability to think clearly when you break the cravings and stop eating refined sugar. Many holistic nutritionists consider sugar a drug due to its impact on the human body. Healthier sweeteners such as agave, stevia and brown rice syrup exist and are a tasty and healthy alternative. Still not sure? Consider the following…

"… A 100g portion of sugar can significantly reduce the capacity of white blood cells to engulf bacteria. Maximum immune suppression occurs one to two hours after ingestion and remains suppressed for up to five hours after feeding." www.chronicprostatitis.com/sugar.html”

In other words, drinking a Coke can partially knock out your immune system for up to 5 hours.

Remember the importance of a time out. Make sure you continue to make time for yourself. Especially as we move into the holiday season. It’s so easy to put every else’s needs before our own. There is no faster way to run ourselves down than to put the world first, while neglecting ourselves!

Our bodies respond to our emotions. Exhaustion, sleep deprivation and stress all weaken our immune system. Pay attention to warning signs so you can keep them from getting worse. Make an appointment to do something nice for yourself – and keep it! Take a walk at the park, get a massage, meet a friend for tea, or attend a yoga class. Do whatever works for you – but make every effort to ensure your emotional needs are met.

Get a full night's sleep. You may require anywhere from 6 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Whatever your personal sleep requirement is, get it! Restful sleep is needed to balance hormones, boost the immune system, recover from injury, clear the mind, and improve overall mood.

Drink your water - No lecture, just a reminder. Water helps the immune system function!

Spend time outdoors. Most of us spend far more time indoors during the winter months. his can leave us breathing dubiously filtered air and other people’s germs. In addition, if you have gas heat, humidity is pulled out of the air. In an issue of the journal of Plops Pathogens, Dr. Pales explains when there is less humidity germs exhaled are lighter and float instead of falling, adding to the ease of transmission.

Eat protein. Protein is a building block for a healthy body, mind, and immune system. Diets low in protein tend to be high in carbs which convert readily to glucose which spikes blood sugar and stresses the immune system.

Decrease coffee/caffeine consumption. Caffeine robs your body of minerals and vitamins, and it dehydrates you. If you drink coffee, make sure you add an additional two glasses to your water intake per cup of coffee.

Stock up on fruits and vegetables. The nutritional content that you receive from both is unparalleled. These foods are packed with antioxidants that protect cells of your immune system from damage by toxins in the environment. So stock your soups with lots of vegetables and kick up your salad consumption!

Does this really need to be said? Don't Smoke - Statistics show that heavy smokers get more frequent and more severe colds and viruses. Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Experts contend that one cigarette can part of your primary defense against colds and flu for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

Cut Alcohol Consumption - Heavy alcohol use suppresses the immune system in a variety of ways. Heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications.

We all know the importance of washing our hands often, sneezing into our elbows, not our hands and using hand sanitizer, but I’d be lax if I didn’t mention it here…

Finally, the most important thing you can do for yourself and others, if you DO get sick, is to stay home and take good care of yourself.

The Art of Care Giving

6th Annual Conference

Nov 17, 8:30-3:00

I am honored to have been invited to speak at Springmoore Lifecare Retirement Community’s annual conference for care givers of loved ones with Alzheimers. The topic will be “The Power Of Touch” and I look forward to sharing information with you after the conference

]]><![CDATA[Massage Awareness Week!! ]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:47:30 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2011/10/massage-awareness-week.html

As this is Massage Awareness week, I thought you might like to read a few interesting facts about massage and the human body. We really are amazing!

There are over 200 recognized modalities of bodywork around the world

There are over 640 muscles in the human body.

There are 206 bones in an adult human body. There are about 300 at birth.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.
Human jaw muscles can generate a force of 200 pounds on the molars.
How fast are nerve signals? Some, like the ones for muscle position travel on extra fast nerve fibers at speeds of up to 390 feet per second! But other messages, like some kinds of pain signals, travel more slowly. If you stub your toe, you feel the pressure right away because touch signals travel 250 feet per second. But you won’t feel the pain for another 2 or 3 seconds because pain signals generally travel at only 2 feet per second.
The average person can live without food for a few weeks, depending on their body type.
The average person can live without water for 3 or 4 days.
The average person needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
The heaviest human brain recorded weighed about 5 pounds.
It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
The Playtsma muscle is what helped to create the infamous ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ expression.
Skin is the largest organ in the body. It protects you from illnesses, helps control your body’s temperature, and helps you to feel everything from a hot kettle to a soft breeze.
Most people don’t get enough sleep. Sleeping helps you to concentrate, keep a good attitude, deal with stresses, and handle daily activities like driving a car.
Bob Hope lived to be 100 years young, and is believed to have had therapeutic massage daily as part of his healthy regimen.
Go ahead and LAUGH! Laughing lowers blood pressure and lifts your spirits!
The human eye blinks an average of 4,200,000 times a year.
Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead.
15 million blood cells are produced and destroyed in the human body every second.
The brain uses more than 25% of the oxygen used by the human body.
Muscles are made up of bundles from about 5 in the eyelid to about 200 in the buttock muscles.
Muscles in the human body (640 in total) make up about half of the body weight.
Most people blink about 17,000 times a day.
There are 60,000 miles in blood vessels in every human body.

If you haven't scheduled your celebratory massage awareness hour, make sure to call soon!

]]><![CDATA[Water, Water Everywhere]]>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:31:52 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2011/09/water-water-everywhere.html

You hear it anytime you go to a health practitioner’s office, or the gym, or even hiking…"Drink plenty of water." But why, exactly is it so important? Well here’s is just a small list of things water does for the body.

Water helps to reduce symptoms or prevent general pain, heachaches/migraines, allergies, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, hypertension, cholesterol, hangovers, bloating/constipation, and low energy levels.

It Helps to Maintain Muscle tone, Clear and healthy skin. It regulates body temperature, removes toxins and wastes, cushions and lubricates joints, decreases risk of kidney stones, and protects organs and the spinal cord from shock and damage. It also assists in the digestion and absorption of food, and in transporting oxygen and nutrients to the cells. It lubricates joints, so that they can glide freely and minimizes damage caused by friction that occurs when we are dehydrated.

So, to put it mildly, healthy water is important to the body. The water stored in your spinal disc core alone supports approximately 75% of the upper body’s weight. Your spine, itself is dependent upon the hydraulic properties of water. If that doesn’t open your eyes….85% of brain tissue is water.

Getting thirsty? Guess what…the "thirst reflex" is the LAST signal of excessive dehydration. I’ll pause while you go grab a glass or two….of WATER.

Beverages that simply CONTAIN water aren’t good enough. Juice, soda, tea, coffee, etc. counter the positive effects of water! Many are flat out unhealthy.

Drinks containing caffeine stimulate your adrenal glands, dehydrate you and rob your body of important vitamins and minerals. Sugar stimulates the pancreas, boosting insulin levels and it weakens the immune system.

Sodas are a quadruple whammy! Colas especially, contain caffeine, sugar, sodium and acid that will eat through a dime.

So Please, if you learn one thing about taking care of yourself today, let it be this…DRINK YOUR WATER!!

]]><![CDATA[Lyme Disease and Chronic Pain]]>Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:59:01 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2011/09/lyme-disease-and-chronic-pain.html

While much of the information included here is outside my scope of practice as a Bodyworker, it is within my experience as a patient of Lyme disease, not once, but twice. I would like to add that we have found considerable success controlling some of the symptoms of Lyme using CranioSacral Therapy. Each patient must find the treatment plan that works best for their body and situation. I strongly encourage those struggling with the debilitating symptoms of Lyme to not give up in the search for treatment. There are many resources and research is being done constantly to find additional treatments.

The following information can be found at www.limeinfo.net/pain.

“The pain caused by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses can be widespread and excruciating. It can affect muscles, joints, nerves and bones, and manifest in any area of the body. Treatment varies greatly depending on the type and severity of the pain, but it is important to take a multi-faceted approach. Medications and various alternative therapies all have their place in the treatment of pain symptoms. Pain specialists can help determine the best treatment.

Pain can have a damaging impact on the immune system, adding to the importance of effectively treating it. Pain management is absolutely essential to those with compromised immune systems, because the pain experience further reduces the immune reaction. If you have Lyme disease pain, you are less likely to be active, to sleep properly, or to eat properly because your mind is constantly trying to fight off the pain response. There is little time for anything else, and it is consuming.

Absence, or at least management, of pain is a health necessity, especially in the sleep response. You can't heal if you can't sleep properly. And, your body is on constant alert, which imposes extra stress levels, which further reduces immunity! It's a vicious circle!

A special caution for Lyme disease patients involves the use of steroids to treat pain. There is widespread concern amongst patients and physicians alike that steroids can be very harmful to patients with Lyme disease. Steroids suppress the immune system, which can be dangerous with an infectious disease. Please see Dr. Drulle's article.

Appropriate treatment with antibiotics can be very beneficial to Lyme disease pain. Additional medications used to manage the pain from chronic Lyme disease include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, opioids, and muscle relaxants. Additional treatments include massage therapy, "restorative" yoga, enzymes, essential oils, prolotherapy, injections, relaxation, manual treatments and gentle exercises. Some patients use magnets, tens machines and creams. Oftentimes chiropractic (many types), physical therapy (multiple techniques) and acupuncture are extremely beneficial, although it can be trial a

to find the right practitioner who can be flexible to the variable needs of Lyme patients.”

If you suspect you may have Lyme, Please do not hesitate to speak to your MD!

]]><![CDATA[Flooding in the office, but don't worry, still managed to dehydrate the plants.....]]>Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:26:03 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2011/09/flooding-in-the-office-but-dont-worry-still-managed-to-dehydrate-the-plants.html

Click here to edit.

Tuesday, after Labor day weekend, we came into the office ready to see all of your smiling faces, and met a face of another kind. Standing water, an overflown toilet and...well....no one smiled for quite a bit. I would like to thank the clients who's schedules were cut into pieces as we tried to find office space that didn't have a toilet now sitting in the middle, or industrial fans that make your ears ring!

I am currently working in Dr. Schmitt's second treatment room. Mark this in history folks, Dr. Schmitt gave up his second treatment room! I am extremely grateful to him for the space and have been able to easily continue seeing all of my clients. So come one, come all...we'll even let you see where we are in the rebuilding stages. As for the little guy to the left....He's the smilng face I DID find waiting for me at the office. Happy 1/2 Birthday to me ;)

]]><![CDATA[Teaching on the High Seas]]>Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:52:14 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2010/12/teaching-on-the-high-seas.html

So, I have a blog. I didn't see this day coming! I can't think of a more beautiful place to begin, than a cruise ship on its way to Central America.

My husband and I take an annual vacation around Thanksgiving. This year we joined my cousin and her husband, on a couple's retreat, for a week of pampering your spouse and adventure on the high seas. I had the honor of teaching basic techniques for relieving stress and tension for loved ones. After a general urge on the part of a surprised group of participants to stampede the door and jump overboard was tempered, we had an amazing time. What a wonderful group of people! The picture above shows a very hesitant and now sleeping volunteer, that was certain that he does NOT take naps. His wife, an excellent and fast learner, was almost happier than me when she reported that he napped almost every day of the trip and said that all tension was gone from his body. Great job Keisha! We had a doctor in attendance as well to handle any questions that might have gone outside of my scope of practice. She was brave enough to let members of the group work on her hip. It was so incredible to watch how lovingly they worked on her and how much it mattered to them that they actually helped her feel better. They taught me so much about the human spirit and the capacity to love! We were scheduled to meet for an hour but once everyone became comfortable with what we were teaching, we worked on each other for almost two hours. It was the highlight of my trip - and that was only the first day!

I always imagined having a massage space in the caribbean. Next time I'll specify an island. For a first, this was a perfect experience! I'd like to thank all of the participants! I hope you learned as much as I did. You are wonderful teachers and beautiful souls and I'm so grateful to have met you!!

I'm ready to go again too! :)

]]><![CDATA[Post Title.]]>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:46:45 -0800http://merimartin.com/3/post/2010/03/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.htmlThis is my new Blog that my husband built for me. He is the best!!]]>