This is an important list of chemicals you absolutely must avoid in any products that touch your skin or enter your body. Our skin can absorb an incredible 60% of what is rubbed onto it. Depending on the size of the chemicals, they may be able to enter your bloodstream in as quickly as 20 minutes. Here is a list of must avoids from the Dr. Mercola site:

Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum – Petroleum products that coat the skin like plastic, clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins, which in turn accumulate and can lead to dermatologic issues. Slows cellular development, which can cause you to show earlier signs of aging. Suspected cause of cancer. Disruptive of hormonal activity. By the way, when there’s an oil spill in the ocean, don’t they rush to clean it up – fast? Why put that stuff on your skin?
Parabens – Widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry (including moisturizers). An estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products contain parabens. Studies implicate their connection with cancer. They have hormone-disrupting qualities – mimicking estrogen – and interfere with the body’s endocrine system.

Phenol carbolic acid– Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure.
Propylene glycol – Used as a moisturizer in cosmetics and as a carrier in fragrance oils. Shown to cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities, and may inhibit skin cell growth or cause skin irritation.

Acrylamide– Found in many hand and face creams. Linked to mammary tumors in lab research.
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)– Found in car washes, engine degreasers, garage floor cleaners… and in over 90% of personal care products! SLS breaks down the skin’s moisture barrier, easily penetrates the skin, and allows other chemicals to easily penetrate. Combined with other chemicals, SLS becomes a “nitrosamine”, a potent class of carcinogen. It can also cause hair loss. SLES is sometimes disguised with the labeling “comes from coconut” or “coconut-derived”.

Toluene – Poison! Danger! Harmful or fatal if swallowed! Harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl.

Dioxane– Found in compounds known as PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Common in a wide range of personal care products. The compounds are usually contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane, easily absorbed through the skin.
Dioxane’s carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965 and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages and liver are the most vulnerable. Dioxane is easily removed during the manufacturing process by “vacuum stripping”. Warning: It is a synthetic derivative of coconut. Watch for hidden language on labels, such as “comes from coconut”.

Just for instance, the ingredients in Pfizers popular moisturizer, Lubriderm, are:
Water, mineral oil, petrolatum, sorbitol, lanolin, lanolin alcohol, stearic acid, triethanolamine, cetyl alcohol, fragrance, butylparaben, methylpapaben, propylparaben, sodium chloride.

So what are our options? I’ve been using the Natural Body Butter that Dr. Mercola has on his site. It’s practically edible and really does have a nice consistency and work well for delivering the moisture your skin needs.

This is the follow-up to the original article on structured water. I’ve managed to enlist myself as a dealer to the best structured water filters I could find. I checked out a bunch of filters that purify, alkalize, and structure the water to make it more hydrating and selected what I think generates the best gallons for the buck. It’s called the Jupiter Melody and it retails for $1250 plus shipping costs. Though I am prohibited from offering a discount online I can throw in a free session if you buy one through me. Click on the link to email me for the details. The free session is for either Structural Integration, massage, acupuncture, or personal training. Now back to the new information.

It’s important to move away from bottled water so as to protect the environment, cut down on transportation pollutions and remove the risks of dioxins and other harmful chemicals that leach from the plastic bottles themselves (even Nalgene bottles are at risk). I guestimate that I spend around $1500 a year on bottled water like Fiji and Icelandic H2O. What a waste. I’ve got my new structured and alkaline water filter up running and it tastes oh so good. I really do feel more hydrated and now that the initial costs are absorbed - its free!

Here is a quick list on bottle plastics:

Avoid:
#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) commonly contains di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), an endocrine disruptor and probable human carcinogen, as a softener.

#6 Polystyrene (PS) may leach styrene, a possible endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen, into water and food.

#7 Polycarbonate contains the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A, which can leach out as bottles age, are heated or exposed to acidic solutions. Unfortunately, #7 is used in most baby bottles and five-gallon water jugs and in many reusable sports bottles.

Better Plastics

#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), the most common and easily recycled plastic for bottled water and soft drinks, has also been considered the most safe. However, one 2003 Italian study found that the amount of DEHP in bottled spring water increased after 9 months of storage in a PET bottle.

#2 High Density Polyethylene

#4 Low Density Polyethylene

#5 Polypropylene

This is from Daily Grist:

“Recent studies have shown that polycarbonate plastics, including the kind used in popular Nalgene water bottles, may leach one of their constituent chemicals into water. The chemical in question, bisphenol-A, has been shown to cause chromosomal disorders and endocrine disruption and to have adverse effects on prostate development and tumors, breast tissue development, and sperm count — in rodents. Nalgene says that no health problems have been demonstrated in human beings. Still, John P. Myers, environmental health expert and coauthor of a book on endocrine disruptors, says, “I personally recommend avoiding polycarbonate plastics — don’t let them come into contact with your food or water. I think the science is strong enough to justify precautionary measures today.”

It’s been quite a few months since the Cambridge meeting of the top fascia researchers the world has ever known - and the scant group did not disappoint us. Connective tissue is the most pervasive organ in the human body yet it remains left out of most research parties. Fascia (including the covering and invaginations of muscles, bones, nerves, organs, tendons and ligaments) supports our structure through tension and integrity yet has only failed to support when it comes time to dole out the grant money. Drug development is paramount but there is a new field coming up to meet the demands of the people. Thanks to Dr. Tom Findley for coordinating this massive achievement at Harvard Medical.

SCIENCE Magazine, “the world’s leading journal of original scientific research, global news, and commentary,” has an excellent write up about the recent First International Fascia Research Congress in its November 23, 2007 issue (vol. 318, pp. 1234-5).

David Grimm’s article is titled “Cell Biology Meets Rolfing — A diverse group of researchers wants to create a new discipline from scratch by bringing together experts in fascia and deep-tissue massage.”

“The meeting, held here [in Boston] last month, would be the first dedicated to the soft part of the body’s connective tissue system — an important but medically neglected organ. It would bring together top scientists from fields as diverse as cell biology and biophysics, but it would also include alternative medicine practitioners…”

This conference was a first venture within the field of the human fasciae to bring together scientists and clinicians. Thomas Findley, MD PhD, the Executive Director of the conference,

“Practitioners want to know the science behind what they’re doing…and scientists want to see clinical applications of their work.”

Partap Khalsa, DC PhD, program officer with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) stated,

“You need people who can do good basic science and clinicians who can inform them about their experiences…It’s the only way to advance the field.”

Here is the article: Science article

The International Association of Structural Integrators bi-annual conference followed the symposium and brought together the whose who in Structural Integration. Look for the 2009 conference to bring it all home again, this time in Italy. Also in Europe -the next Fascia Congress will be in Amsterdam. Arrivederci and tot ziens!

Here is a cool computer to help you figure out your actual carbon footprint and also help you eliminate it by donating to carbon reducing technologies: basic calculator

What most people seem to overlook is that methane gas is 20x’s more greenhouse causing then carbon. So our food choices become just as important to how many miles we carpool or if we drive a hybrid. Driving a hybrid is better then a gas guzzler but it sure does not make you green! Ride a bicycle you bought second-hand if you really want to step it up.

To truly make a difference stop eating meat. Eating more like a vegetarian (or being one) is better for you, better for the environment, and ridiculously better for the animals. This is from the United Nations,

…the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation.

From the University of Michigan site:

Each year we add 350-500 million tons of methane to the air by raising livestock, coal mining, drilling for oil and natural gas, rice cultivation, and garbage sitting in landfills. It stays in the atmosphere for only 10 years, but traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Livestock such as cows, sheep, goats, camels, buffaloes, and termites release methane as well. Bacteria in the gut of the animal break down food and convert some of it to methane. When these animals belch, methane is released. In one day, a cow can emit ½ pound of methane into the air. Imagine 1.3 billion cattle each burping methane several times per minute!

This is an interesting article on non-methane kangaroo farts and the far-fetched idea that cows can switch to this type of bacteria so we can still raise them. Why do we take the hard road when we can just modify our lifestyle? I’m sure William of Occam would say, “Just put down the burger and eat more veggies.” And I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt if we all used some Beano once in awhile!

The picture above is a scanned image from Paul Pitchford’s “Healing With Whole Foods”- the best tome on nutrition. I left some text to read so you get his point.

The organs in the body are building from a low point energetically until they peak for 2 or so hours half way through the day and then discharge back to their low - completing a 24-hour journey. This is important because the timing is staggered allowing each organ to complete it’s peak 2 hours after the next. The Chinese clock represents 12 organs in the pie chart, a very spiritual number having to do with control and ruling. Using this chart you can get a glimpse at a deficiency or problem in the organ if you notice something recurring at a similar time each day. Do you wake up every night at 3:30am? Your body might be telling you something is wrong with your lungs. Being aware of the emotional counterpart to each organ, tells us even more about what’s happening inside of us. If you suffered recent grief or are generally drowning in sorrow, this tells you even more about the health of your lungs. From Squidoo Health,

“The seven emotions are thought to correlate with the five Yin organs: joy with heart, anger with the liver, sadness and grief with the lungs, pensiveness and over thinking with the spleen, and fear or fright with the kidneys.”

I like to include the stomach to worry and the gall bladder to bitterness to complete the thorax as a structural whole; the liver, gallbladder, stomach and spleen are all connected to each other and the diaphragm- the arch support for the pericardium, heart and lungs. This is a more complete chart on the organs and emotions by Dr. Bruce and Joan Dewe.

This is from a western study adhering to stringent scientific methodologies on PubMed by Wang et al, 2006:

“Circadian rhythms are about-daily variations of physiological functions that are found in every living organism on earth ranging from bacteria to mammals. These daily rhythms are generated through the integration of the oscillatory expression of multiple circadian clock genes. In mammals, circadian rhythms are regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Neurons in the SCN generate self-sustained daily oscillations of gene expression and electrical activity with a period close to 24 hours. The SCN keeps the circadian rhythms of different peripheral organs synchronized to each other as well as to the environmental light-dark cycle. Although every mammalian cell is believed to express circadian clock genes, cells outside the SCN cannot maintain self-sustained circadian oscillation in the absence of the SCN.”

And more simply put:

“Every physiological function in the human body exhibits some form of circadian rhythmicity. Under pathological conditions, however, circadian rhythmicity may be disrupted.”

The body is designed to help us help ourselves by communicating with us when something is amiss. Due to our disassociated lifestyles it’s hard for us to hear these whispers. I hope these Western and Eastern views can integrate and help us understand more about what is going on inside before irrevocable damage is done. For more information, see your local acupuncturist or contact Heather Trujillo, L.Ac at acupuncture@centerforsw.com.

It’s important to make a clear distinction that all water is not created equal. And I’m not talking about taste. As a snowflake falls to the ground it has a high coherence of hexagonal structure (6 branches) and when it melts retains this coherence in the hydrogen bonds to other H2O molecules. The unique quality of these hydrogen bonds is that they are incredibly strong and make it a good conductor of electricity and also a good solvent for biological materials. This is because it has small positive charge on the hydrogen end and small negative charge on the oxygen end. Now, why is this important to us? As human beings we are essentially water movers. We are born almost 95% water and if we live long enough, 55% water. To me, aging seems to be a dehydration process. So how do we stay hydrated properly?

We can drink naturally structured water, which comes from very pure places like Icelandic glaciers, or Hawaiian or Fijian springs. This water is easily assimilated and very hydrating. The downside to these bottled waters is the high environmental impact of transportation, plastic manufacturing, and besides the risk of potential carcinogenic chemicals from the plastic seeping into the water. We really don’t need to add to the North Pacific Greyere, a floating mass of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean either. So now what?

There are multiple options for getting bio-available water from the tap. Bio-availablility means water that actually makes it into the cells for proper hydration. I’ve had a Jupiter Microlite for years and like the way it tastes and feels going down the gullet. It alkalizes, ionizes, and filters the water all to the tune of “Home Sweet Home”. I’m upgrading to the Jupiter Melody soon - it features an endless supply of water without having to wait for it to get “processed”. It’s a bit pricy at $1250 but I’m ordering a bunch and I can get a couple of hundred off. I’m happy to pass on any savings if anyone wants one. A friend of mine distributes the Kangen water filters but they are way too pricey (over $3k) for not much benefit. I’m not even sure there is a benefit to the Jupiter brand.

Doctor Terry Grossman and Ray Kurzweil were at first skeptical of a water ionizer’s ability to create alkaline water. So they tested the water themselves with a pH meter and an ORP meter. They concluded, “The negative ions in alkaline water from an electrolysis machine are a rich source of electrons that can be donated to these free radicals in the body, neutralizing them and stopping them from damaging healthy tissues.”

Warning: One of the biggest problems and misconceptions are the benefits of Brita and Pur drinking filters. These company’s boast pure healthy water but what actually happens is the filtered water is turned acidic. My home Ph testing kit revealed that new and used filters can make the water up to 5.5 acidic. Oh my god, this is so scary. With evidence pointing to the health benefits of alkaline diets, drinking neutral or alkaline water should match and increase our health. I think what is happening is that these type of cartridge filters strip all the minerals from the water rendering it acidic whereas ionizing filters organize the minerals into alkaline and acidic and split them into different membranes. You drink the alkaline side of the water and the acidic water goes down the sink. Acidic water can be used for washing things like fruit, bath tubs, or your face. This is what I would use Brita for - but absolutely do not drink it!
Read the rest of this entry »

This is a great piece from Oprah Magazine and was picked up on the NYTimes Health and Wellness blog. It goes on to talk about the increasing trend in oversized bags that are difficult to manage because of their lack of structure. Your posture has to adapt to the bag and is creating long term structural problems and pain.

…overpacked purses are making us walk lopsided, distorting our posture and leaving us with aching backs, shoulders, necks and hips.

The article recommends that

The American Chiropractic Association advises that women lug around no more than 10 percent of their body weight.

A recent article on the Huffington Post states that,

“Fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for low back pain, and either kind performs much better than usual care, German researchers have found.”

It goes on to reveal that 47 percent of patients improved from the real acupuncture, and 44 percent improved from the sham acupuncture (gently needling non-acupuncture points without pistoning or spinning very), while onl7 27 percent improved from conventional methods. I’m glad Structural Evolution is now offering acupuncture. See the blog below.

This was sent to me from the fantastic Structural Integrator in Fort Worth, Texas - Rey Allen. I don’t know where he found it but…

“Optimism is a learned skill and there are a variety of ways to acquire it, says psychologist Mary Ann Troiani, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism. Through her research, Troiani has come up with three things that you can do to enhance your sense of optimism. First, straighten out your body before your emotions by keeping a straight body posture, taking big steps and walking quickly with your shoulders back and your head up. “People who are pessimistic walk slowly with small steps and their head down,” she says. Second, change your tone of voice so that it is cheerful and full of energy. Third, use upbeat or happier words, such as “challenge” rather than “problem,” or think of “opportunities” rather than “losses.” “Positive thoughts and behavior have a positive impact on the brain’s biochemistry,” she says. “[They] boost your serotonin levels and signal that you’re happy. Your brain will catch up to you.” Troiani reminds us: it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to really change a habit.”

Further google searching uncovered the Finding Optimism site and there was an article that went on to suggest:

“A study led by Brian Meier, a psychologist at North Dakota State University, concluded that posture does affect mood. The study found that emotions have a highly physical basis, so sad thoughts could lead to a slumped posture with the eyes directed down, and happy thoughts to a more upright posture and the eyes looking up. They found the reverse to be true as well. Simply looking up could give a physical boost, that in turn leads to better posture and a better mood.”

Hmmm. Interesting. Is there anyone who knows how to straighten out body posture permanently? I wonder…

Day 1:

I meet Helen, the heavy-set donor cadeavor whose tag informs us that she was 84 years old and that she died of cervical cancer. She has been preserved in formaldehyde for about 9 months and is now reborn as a cadeavor at the Institute for Anatomical Enlightenment in Denver, Colorado. She lies completely untouched and we have a lot of work to do over the next 5 days. It takes me and my team of 6 New Yorkers about 8 hours to reflect the skin from the adipose layer all over the entire body save the face and vagina. The high fat content of her body is just dripping with formaldehyde and it’s a messy job. This is my first dissection and I was unsure of the emotional response of this experience - but surprisingly once I get started- I can’t stop. When the day is done and I close my eyes, all I can do is reflect the skin in my head as I pass out on the couch.

Day 2:

If I thought yesterday was messy, today brings way more oozing and a strong smell of formaldehyde. Every part of me reeks of this sweet toxic smell and I can even taste it in my mouth. Luckily the fumes are heavier then air and settle down so I don’t get the headache I’m anticipating. Read the rest of this entry »

Being inspired by Robert Schleip’s work, I would like to see a more detailed “homunculus” representation of the body but mapped using mechanoreceptors instead of sensory nerves.

There are 4 main types of mechanoreceptors embedded in fascia. The Golgi tendon organs that live in the myotendonus junctions; the Pacini and Paciniform receptors that live in myotendionus junctions, deep capsular layers, and spinal ligaments; the Ruffini receptors that live in ligaments of peripheral joints and the dura matter; and the most abundant are the Interstitial receptors found everywhere but with the highest density in the periosteum of the bones.

For instance, the Ruffini mechanoreceptors respond to lateral stretching of fascia and tangential, deep, slow work that when Rolfed appropriately will smooth and elongate dense edges in tissue. Specifically at the knee, Ruffini receptors are in abundance both anterior and posterior and trigger a relaxing response to the sympathetic response (parasympathetic increase) and an overall relaxing effect systemically. On the medial and lateral lines of the knee there are more Pacini and Paciniform receptors, which like a more high velocity or vibratory manipulation to relax. The Interstitial receptors, which are everywhere, like sustained pressure but can also respond to rapid fluxuations. To illicit change in the Golgi Tendon Organs it’s important to understand that movement cues must be used as GTO’s are stimulated by muscular tonus increase if they are to respond to deep manipulation. Passive stretching of the joint only stretches the relaxed muscle tissue and does not activate GTO’s so will not change these myofascial tissues.

It is going to be important to the field of Structural Integration to map the body and choose appropriate techniques mated to anatomical places to illicit permanent change efficiently. Or we could keep just doing everything! I for one am too busy for inefficiency.

All of this info is available in Robert Schleip’s 2003 paper, “Fascial Mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep tissue manipulation” - Mechanoreceptors

Sleeping in complete darkness will help boost the most powerful antioxidant your body can utilize, melatonin. This hormone is released into the blood by the pineal gland based on light-dark cycles. It is also produced in the retina, lens and gastrointestinal tract.

Reduced Melatonin has been linked to increased cancer rates in night-time workers, alzheimers, migraine and cluster headaches, and immune system suppression. The importance of melatonin is not completely understood or fully researched but it’s obvious that we need to do whatever it takes to support its production.

Modern times have illuminated our evenings and allowed us more freedom to work, play, and stay up late. Though this is great for squeezing more out of your day, it is messing up with our circadian rhythm. Here is a test for you: If you are laying in bed going to sleep and you can see the fingers of your outstretched hand once all the lights are turned off - then you could be suppressing your melatonin production as you sleep. Melatonin production peaks about halfway through your sleep cycle before waning off as you wake (and probably as sunlight filters through your blinds). Your room should be dark enough that you can’t see your outstretched hand.

Some might recommend supplements but this seems unnecessary, considering how many pills we already pop. And synthetic drugs seem less superior than natural production. The safe, easy, effective way to increase melatonin is the natural way - sleep in darkness! If you don’t have blackout blinds then use an eye mask. It’s simple, cheap and effective and you can take it off if you need to get up to go to the bathroom or need a late-night snack. But don’t turn on the light! Use a small nightlight in the bathroom or else you might disrupt your melatonin production for that night’s rest.

This is a link for a mac-daddy $25 eye pillow. Or try amazon for a $5 version.

For all you fish connoisseurs out there, here is the Ocean’s Alive eco/health report. Above and beyond the toxins in the fish, I find it difficult to justify farmed fishing with all its inherent ecological impact and ethical ramifications, but the idea of over-fishing is just as appalling. What can a vegaquarian do? Here is the ecological impact report.