Diet is the number one controllable factor of preventative medicine. Through eating a truly balanced diet, and limiting the number of processed and conventionally grown foods, we can feel great on a daily basis. Our bodies can resist common colds and viruses and repair itself from dis-ease. Health is about balance. The human body will always migrate towards balance, unless it is restricted one way or another. A few principles you should always consider with diet include:

1. Drink more water than you think (and less when you are eating – it dilutes your digestive enzymes). Try taking a digestive enzyme supplement before eating if you usually feel bloated and tired after a meal. Try ‘Garden of Life’ products, they’re awesome.
2. Try to consume primarily organic foods. Not many people can say their heart disease (1 in 6 affected in this country) was caused from eating too many fruits and vegetables. It’s worth the extra money – you not only support sustainable agriculture and prevent environmental destruction, your food has more available nutrients which makes your body much healthier.
3. If you do choose to eat animal products – buy organic grass-fed pasture raised meat and stick to cold water, wild caught fish. Note: Avoid farm-raised salmon (which is what you are getting at restaurants if it doesn’t specifically say “wild caught”). Avoid shellfish and bottom dwellers – toxins are concentrated in their flesh which then find their way into your flesh.
4. Eat as little processed foods as possible. Does the food look like the way it was grown? If not, its processed. Buy whole-grain breads and pasta if you must.
5. Do something physical everyday and make it fun. You will feel much better physically and mentally.
6. Take care of yourself. Soak in Epsom salt baths and take time to do breathing exercises to calm your mind. Get massaged often. It might be a more expensive lifestyle than you are used to, but you’ll save money in the long run with health care expenses. You are worth it.
7. Cleanse your body at least twice a year. It makes such a difference. The Blueprint Cleanse juice cleanse is nice. Also you can try the popular Master Cleanse diet. Squeeze 1 organic lemon, 2 tablespoons grade B organic maple syrup, a pinch of cayenne pepper into 12 oz filtered water. Drink 6-10 glasses a day to fight hunger pains and fatigue. Drink a laxative tea in the evening if you feel the need. Don’t eat anything else. Whether you can fast for 24 hours or 10 days, you will feel better. Note: It’s not recommended to fast for more than 2 weeks without a doctor’s supervision.

The healthier you eat, the healthier you are. You will get the most out of your Structural Integration sessions if you change your diet for the better. The connective tissue in your body that provides structure and support needs to be well nourished to respond properly to change.

Rolf Your Pain Away – WebMD Feature Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

Concert pianist Leon Fleisher almost played his way out of a career. The repetitive stress of daily practice, rehearsals, and performances left him with a crippling hand injury that sidelined him for 30 years. Though he continued to teach, conduct, and perform musical compositions written solely for the left hand, his ability to use his right hand was virtually nil. For years he explored practically every diagnostic and therapeutic option he heard about, with little or no success, until his wife suggested Rolfing. Ten months later, Fleisher was once again performing — this time with both hands.

Fleisher is not alone in having found relief from intense, crippling pain through this form of massage. Rolfing, which is named for the woman who developed it — Ida P. Rolf, PhD — is attracting increasing attention as more people, including celebrities such as actor LeVar Burton of Star Trek fame, and athletes such as Olympic figure skater Elvis Stojko, credit Rolfing for not only easing pain, but also with helping them gain more self-esteem and realize their potential.

Continue reading Rolf Your Pain Away

The Rolfer, Liz Gaggini, about the wonderful new theories surrounding the most common form of Scoliosis. From my limited understanding of the situ it goes something like this: Tracing the cross section of the main twist in the body at the T6/T7 vertebral junction, where the left side of the pelvis juts forward as well as the anterior right shoulder. Both the right pelvic innominate bone and the left shoulder are posteriorly shifted necessarily in this pattern to create a counterbalance. This being obvious, some research (unpublished as far as I know) is theorizing the initial twist is coming from an embryonic twist in the feeding tube. This feeding tube evolves into the falciform ligament of the liver. The liver has direct ligamentus connections to the heart through the diaphragm. This is primarily short in scoliotics. The liver, stomach, and gall bladder are migrating to the right side of the body, all of which are supported by the Lesser Omentum. The heart being attached to the liver is dragged to the right and rolls in this direction causing the vena cava to slip unerneath the aorta which are going left to counterrotate this imbalance. The kidneys are twisted, intestines and lungs are all going left to create balance. The pelvic imbalance gets set as the infants stand up for the first time and learn to walk. This possible causal relationship can be amazing if intervention can be done surgically or with a brace very early on and stop this pattern from progressing into more dysfunction. For those exhibiting these patterns now, isometric exercises or Yoga postures like Triangle Pose could help unwind down to the visceral organ level. Visceral manipulation could prove an invaluable tool to easing the strain along with some serious Structural Integration work. Here is a new testimonial from my lovely client Kristina Lanuza who has been dealing with her rotations head on for many years and for whom I worked on with the above knowledge:

“Having worked with scoliosis discomfort and pain for over 24 years with numerous physicians and healers, it has been rare to find someone like Michael who has been able to unravel the patterns so quickly and with such apparent results. I now know of only two types of “bodywork” that have worked so brilliantly with unwinding the curvature of the spine – Anusara yoga and Michael’s Structural Integration. Since and during the ten-series of sessions, I have been able to walk, run, dance and practice yoga with greater ease. As an avid athlete and music performer – the ability to move easily in the body is of utmost importance. It has also helped emotionally and mentally. Such deep work can only be done by a true healer. I highly recommend anyone who wants to move with greater ease and less pain to work with Michael for real, lasting change.”

Kristina is a great yoga teacher and more info about her practice is available at Yogafly.

This is taken from the Rolf Institute Website:

Olympic and Professional Skier’s Talk About Their Rolfing Experiences:
Two-time Olympian, U.S. Nordic Ski Team Member, John Bauer says, “Rolfing helped me get back my career. It tackled some specific injuries that were restricting me from training for the 98 Olympics, and got me back on track. You can ice and rest but no matter how slow you train until you lengthen out the tightness and scarring, it will come back.”

1998 U.S. Paralympic gold medal skier, Sarah Will says, “Rolfing increased my performance time 100%. It eliminated my body pain, relaxed my muscles at the starting gate, my concentration and motivation increased, giving me the winning edge. It loosened my lower back, shifting strength into my upper back where I need it, and increased my starting time. Seeing these results, and knowing I was in the best shape possible, my confidence rose. I think every sport should include a team Rolfer in their training program.” “Skiing demands a sharp mind. The stronger you are the more confident you become. The injuries (from the accident) left me off balance until I discovered the benefits of Rolfing bodywork and I’ve been winning ever since.”

World-renowned Extreme skier, and popular Warren Miller ski film star, John Egan says, “Rolfing gave me the elasticity to make my first day of skiing look like I was in mid-season form. People asked me, what have you been doing? I said you won’t believe it but it was Rolfing bodywork. The first time I tried Rolfing bodywork the rejuvenating effects were incredible. Since then I have been recommending Rolfing to others.”

Olympic skier, Mickey Egan, (the wife of Extreme skier, Dan Egan) says, “Rolfing helps alot, just in the way it helps me to loosen up, so I’m ready to go again. It’s great. Athletes tend to use the same muscles over and over; they get tighter and tighter and this has an effect on the muscles. We can stretch but not reach everything. Rolfing helps me reach areas like the ribs, abdominals, upper body, and hips that are hard to get.”

Other pro-athletes who have used Rolfing include Michelle Kwan and Elvis Stojko, 98 Olympic Silver Medal figure skaters; Phil Jackson, former Chicago Bull’s coach; Charles Barkley of the Houston Rockets; Rob Moore, of the Phoenix Cardinals, Tim Salmon, CA. Angel baseball star; the Phoenix Suns basketball team; Mario Lemieux, of the Pittsburg Penguins, Bob Tewksbury, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins; Edwin Moses, Olympic track athlete; Joe Greene, 1996 U.S. Olympic Bronze Medal long jumper; Ivan Lendl, former tennis champion.