Living in a space that is not connected to oneself can be detrimental to our mental and emotional health. Feeling trapped in an environment that doesn't align with our values and beliefs can be overwhelming. However, imagine living in a space of peace and love where you feel comfortable and free to grow. Many of us would choose this option, yet we often find ourselves stuck in between spaces, unsure of how to move forward.
The anti-aging effect of intermittent fasting is quite profound. It slows down the aging process and has been found to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation ( 1 ). IF can also suppress genes that accelerate the risk of age-related chronic disease like cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes ( 2 ).
Living in a space that is not connected to oneself can be detrimental to our mental and emotional health. Feeling trapped in an environment that doesn't align with our values and beliefs can be overwhelming. However, imagine living in a space of peace and love where you feel comfortable and free to grow. Many of us would choose this option, yet we often find ourselves stuck in between spaces, unsure of how to move forward.
Marcus Aurelius “You’re better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve.”
Feedback whether it is constructive or destructive stings. In my teens, I created my first song and recorded it. The response was generally well until one came in that said it's not bad BUT it's not as good as D’Angelo’s (Recording Artist who had a hit called How Does It Feel)………...this stopped my creative pursuit to attempt to finish the rest of the album. It got SCRAPPED because my ego felt like CRAP. Fully acknowledge the EGO bruised and stained, the wisdom comes later I create from a place of care and love of the process. I learned when I was young that I was trying to get the approval of one particular person which did not line up to my soulful purpose of doing GOOD and inherently down the narrow path of not so GOOD. The parallel to this is that as children we look for the approval of our peers or parents but fail to see the caring people that are on our peripherals that have been waiting for our craft to be released. The cycle continues as we look for validation as the person looking up at us is looking for our blessing. There has to be a better way of acknowledging and sharing our energy with those looking for what we are doing. Why do we play for one particular person or group? We need only a few to understand our work and look forward to what we are bringing to the table. Simply, bring your best version of yourself at that moment with consistency. This will yield to a high percentage of many seeing your true gift. You are the Gift.
What caused you to stop your creative work? Are you now ready to pursue it again?
by Ryan Hayes RMT
A new year. A new variant. A new challenge. A new stress. While the global upheaval persists, many people continue to struggle with isolation from friends and family, scheduling conflicts of homeschooling children, and a topsy-turvy work environment, finding ways to create consistency can be difficult. There seems to be less and less that we can rely upon for stability. One thing that needs to remain constant through this turbulent time is our sense of self.
As the responsibilities of the individual continue to mount, we can easily find ourselves sinking beneath the surface of functional physical and mental health. Now, more than ever is the time to put ourselves first. How can we be either a supportive spouse, sibling, parent, teacher, or coworker if we are struggling to stay afloat? What can we offer to others if we refuse to pay attention to our own needs?
Many of us are quite adept at putting everybody else and their needs before our own. Further, the responsibilities of the average individual often exceed the energetic output available to effectively manage the altered pandemic lifestyle of today. However, there are many people out there whose job is to help declutter the brain, relieve tension from the body, and help restore a better balance between the body and the mind.
Today’s society necessitates active reflection over our state of health. We need to make sure to take some time to put ourselves first. The time for this does exist. We do not have to create time. We have to allocate time. It is neither impossible nor unreasonable to take an hour or two a month to have our batteries recharged. It is essential to seek out a healthcare provider to help in the areas we are finding ourselves deficient or need support.
This help can come in the form of a talk therapist, a massage therapist, a personal trainer, an acupuncturist, an osteopath, etc. There are many different venues and practitioners to help with the multitude of strains that we are put through daily. Even a car needs an oil change every 5000km. We are no different. Unfortunately, we drive our bodies until they run out of gas. This is not ideal in the long run.
We must resolve to invest in our health. If our health suffers then all aspects of our existence are diminished. A mind cannot function optimally if it is distracted by the woes of the body. Further, the hamster wheel in the head can grind the body to a halt. To function effectively in the home and society our body must function effectively from the inside out. A healthy individual can be a productive individual.
We save for our retirement, we save for our children’s education, we save for a home, we save for a trip. When these moments arrive how can we enjoy them if our health is less than functional? Part of saving for the future is investing in our health today. Make massage therapy a part of your support network. Your daily productivity, your sleep, and your ability to manage stress will improve. Your body and mind will thank you.
Will be a short and weekly post on what we are up to from what is going on at M.O.A. Living, to what we are pondering on, resources that are worth reading, videos worth watching and on things that can help in the pursuit of an enhance body and mind.
We would like to express our farewell to Candice Ohrablo, for the 3 years of service with M.O.A. Living Inc., as a Thai Massage Practitioner to a Manual Osteopath. She will taking on Acupuncture for her next studies this coming new year. Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules, she will no longer be practicing at M.O.A. Living, as of January 1, 2020. We wish you all the best in your new venture Candice.
We are in the process of looking for her replacement, as a Manual Osteopath in the next few weeks. We will keep you posted once we have found the right fit. On that note we will also have new Massage Therapists and Personal Trainers that will be joining us in the following year.
We have always envisioned a space that enables us to treat the body as effectively as possible to ensure enhanced performance. We hope to polish this method throughout the new year.
In addition, we have an added service for 2020, we will be implementing direct billing in the next month and would like to invite anyone who would like to sign up. All we need is your policy number and insurance provider to set you up in our system. We appreciate your patience as we move forward with this new service and would want to make the administrative part of health as minimal on your end. Allowing us to focus on your health and let us handle the rest.
We wish you all the best for 2020, to epic adventures and memorable experiences. Cheers to all of you that make this life count.
Keep it Balanced!
Garnet Santicruz
M.O.A. Living Wellness Clinic
Being a trainer for over 15 + years has shown me the pattern of individuals going through a season of indulgence to later go through remorse by losing the pounds for the New Year. I myself gain the weight in the past for the holidays comes with a drink in one hand and a fork on the other. Sharing meals with people and connecting is what we do best during these times. The psychology of overeating presented in a journal placed overeating being equivalent to sex and drugs for the release of dopamine into an area of the Midbrain called the Nucleus Accumbens. The reward signal by food, usually in the form of sugar and carbohydrate, is worth repeating. Dopamine, essentially is the greatest reward when it comes to feeling good about ourselves. The imbalance of gaining the weight comes down to excess of food with not enough movement for the body to burn the energy. A study done in McMaster University in Ontario called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) showed that 30 second bike sprints for a total of three minutes led to the same muscle cell adaptations as two hours of long, steady bike riding. Basically, the concept of movement can be minimal to help balance an imbalance system due to over indulgence.
Here is our solution:
Invest in time in blocking off at least 30 minutes per week to start in having a movement practice. In can look like this.
30 minute training session followed by 30 minute massage/flexibility session. Your physiotherapy benefits can cover the training portion as long as it is under the care of Physiotherapist. Usually, something that is due to posture related like using a computer can be assisted by training your back and abs.
Drinking water with the same amount of alcoholic or sweet beverage to dilute the content. Of course limiting ourselves to 1-2 glasses would be helpful. Often I ask my client if the food they are about to ingest is something they work for? Our ancestors had to work for food and therefore obesity did not exist.
Revisit in a month and potentially add another day for training and journal each week to see what can be revised to improve.
What is your ‘WHY’? This is important and was eloquently spoken by Simon Sinek. We will continue to pursuit the wrong thing until we have fully committed to what overwrites our impulse to make wrong decisions. Our intentions must be clear to head in the direction with ‘Why’ as our compass. Here’s the video: Why?
Lose the weight and not your benefits. We work hard to have the life we live and letting your extended health care benefits go down the drain is a waste. Let us help you with what you already have to get you started in this journey in wellness. Here’s a link if you need to contact us: Book a Consultation
Thank you for making the time to read this!
Keep it Balanced,
Garnet Santicruz RMT, CPT, CMRP
By Peter SJ Lee, Registered Acupuncturist
(Credit Fran_loablog)
Personally, I am more interested in alleviating psychoemotional conditions such as insomnia and depression. Not only are psychological and emotional conditions difficult to treat but also there are limited options available for them in modern medicine. Most of the treatments are through medications and they only alleviate the symptoms, ignoring the root cause of the problem, and inevitably have side effects. Also, each individual requires different types and dosages of medications, hence, making it impossible to treat everyone with one type of treatment. On the other hand, acupuncture does not have a limitation on who can or who cannot receive the treatment and is able to address both root and branches of a problem with minimal chances of side effects.
"Acupuncture can alleviate psychoemotional conditions such as insomnia and depression"
One of the most basic theories of acupuncture and traditional East Asian medicine is that everyone is different. By gathering relevant diagnostic information and with treatment plans tailored for each individual, acupuncture can alleviate psychoemotional conditions such as insomnia and depression.
Most people would acknowledge the importance of sleep. However, not many people realize just how many of the common main complaints come from not getting enough sleep. Insufficient amount of sleep will increase the risks of or directly lead to irritability, headaches, heart diseases, weight gain, poor vision, infection, gastrointestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), depression, diabetes, and cancer. Sleep is extremely important to our overall health. Both the amount and quality of sleep is directly related to the physical and mental health.
In traditional East Asian medicine, insomnia is defined as a condition in which quantity and quality of sleep are decreased consistently for more than a month. Insomnia may be present in the form of one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, waking up easily throughout the night (Not from pain or full bladder), early awakening with difficulty going back to sleep, and dream-disturbed sleep. Insomnia may be due to multiple factors including pathogenic heat, overthinking, emotional frustration, and depression.
Nowadays, there are more scientific researches that study the effectiveness of acupuncture. Among many, in a research published in the Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, acupuncture was shown to be 90% effective in improving total sleep duration and sleep quality for patients with depression. Acupuncture treatments had similar clinical results and lowered the relapse rates just as much as antidepressants without any side effects. There were two groups; one being acupuncture group and the other being antidepressant medication (Mirtazapine) group. Total effective rate for acupuncture treatment was 90% while that of mirtazapine treatment was 92.5%. However, dizziness, drowsiness, vision changes, weight gain, increased appetite, and constipation were common in the medication group while acupuncture group did not experience any side effects.
In the research, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to measure improvements. Within one month of the treatment, the acupuncture group showed 9.7% improvement and the medication group showed 15.9% improvement in the HAM-D score. Within three months of the treatment, the acupuncture group showed 36.2% improvement while the medication group showed 32.5% improvement.
"acupuncture improves total sleep duration and sleep quality significantly, which in return, reduced the relapse rate for depression and insomnia and improved overall health, both physically and mentally, without any side effects."
For three months, the acupuncture group received treatments every other day while the medication group were given 20 mg of mirtazapine tablets orally once a day. The point prescription for the acupuncture group consisted of primary acupuncture points, which addressed the depression and insomnia, and of secondary acupuncture points, which addressed differential diagnosis of each individual. The primary acupuncture points included a point on the wrist (Shenmen – HT-7), a point on the leg (Sanyinjiao – SP-6), and a point between the eyebrows (Yintang). The secondary acupuncture points, which were added to address the different needs of each individual, included a point on the foot (Taichong – LR-3) and a point on the leg (Yanglingquan – GB-34) if the other symptoms they had were liver related symptoms such as headache, irritability, and rib pain, or a point on the arm (Jianshi – PC-5), and a point on the leg (Zusanli – ST-36) if the other symptoms they had were spleen symptoms such as poor appetite, indigestion, vomiting, nausea, and epigastric or abdominal pain. The acupuncture needles were stimulated every 10 minutes and were retained for 30 minutes.
It was concluded that acupuncture improves total sleep duration and sleep quality significantly, which in return, reduced the relapse rate for depression and insomnia and improved overall health, both physically and mentally, without any side effects.
Another study, a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled research, concluded that acupuncture improves sleep and reduces insomnia when compared to sham acupuncture (random needling) and to a medication, estazolam. Acupuncture showed significantly superior results improving total sleep duration and sleep quality just like the previously mentioned research. The acupuncture point prescription in this research included few points on the head (Shenting – GV-24, Sishencong, and Baihui – GV-20), a point on the wrist (Shenmen – HT-7), and a point on the leg (Sanyinjiao – SP-6). The estazolam medication group experienced side effects such as daytime drowsiness.
In another research, acupuncture was shown to increase the bodily serotonin levels and the concentration of gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in cerebrospinal fluid. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters which regulate cognitive function, mood, sleep, and appetite while GABA is another neurotransmitter which reduces the excitability of the neurons thereby calming them down. In this research, acupuncture was shown to have 93.3% total effective rate in the treatment of insomnia. The point prescription included a point on the head (Shenting – GV-24), a point on the wrist (Shenmen – HT-7), points on the leg (Sanyinjiao – SP-6 and Zusanli – ST-36), a point between the eyebrows (Yintang), and a point behind the ears (Anmian). The needles were retained for 45 minutes each session. Additionally, acupuncture points in the ear (Subcortex and Shenmen) were used with ear seeds (Vaccaria seeds covered with zinc oxide tape) rather than needles and patients were to stimulate them for few minutes each day.
'Acupuncture acts as a guide to lead the body in the right direction to the healthy state because where you are headed is more important than how fast you are moving.'
In conclusion, many modern day scientific researches are done to show the effectiveness of the ancient art of healing. The researches showed that acupuncture successfully increased total sleep duration and quality while decreasing daytime dysfunction and sleepiness with no side effects. As acupuncture is a nature way to treat our body, acupuncture took some time to show the results. For conditions like insomnia and depression, it is highly unlikely that there will be drastic improvements with one treatment. One research was as long as three months. Acupuncture simply cannot alleviate the symptoms as quickly as the medications because acupuncture does not add synthetic hormones into the system or chemically modify the human body. Unless a condition developed overnight, it will not disappear overnight as like how it takes time and effort to change a long-term habit.
Though our body knows how to heal itself, sometimes it is overwhelmed and does not know where to start or which direction to head to. Acupuncture acts as a guide to lead the body in the right direction to the healthy state because where you are headed is more important than how fast you are moving.
Peter SJ Lee is a Registered Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner at M.O.A. Living Wellness
References Kelman L, Rains JC (2005). Headache and Sleep: Examination of Sleep Patterns and Complaints in a Large Clinical Sample of Migraineurs. Meier-Ewert HK, Ridker PM, Rifai N, Regan MM, Price NJ (2004). Effects of Sleep Loss on C-reactive protein, an Inflammatory Marker of Cardiovascular Risk. Benedict C, Brooks SJ, O’Daly OG, Almen MS, Morell A (2012). Acute Sleep Deprivation enhances the Brain’s Reponse to Hedonic Food Stimuli: an fMRI Study. Orzel-Gryglewska J (2010). Consequences of Sleep Deprivation. C. A. Everson. (1993). Sustained Sleep Deprivation impairs Host Defense. American Journal of Physiology. Tauseef Ali. James Choe, Ahmed Awab, Theodore L Wagener (2013). Sleep, Immunity, and Inflammation in Gastrointestinal Disorder. World Journal of Gastroenterology. Baglioni C, Battagliese G, Feige B, Spiegelhaldar K (2011). Insomnia as a Predictor of Depression: A Meta-Analytic Evaluation of Longitudinal Epidemiological Studies. Ye GC & Yan H. (2014). Therapeutic Observation of Acupuncture for Depressive Insomnia. Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. 55(6) Lin-Peng Wang, Guo, Jing, Cun-Zhi Liu, Jie Zhang, Gui-Ling Wang, Jing-Hong, Yi, Jin-Lian cheng, and R. Musil. Efficacy of Acupuncture for Primary Insomnia: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Akupunktur 57, No. 4 (2014): 31-32 Wang H, Meng X.H, Zou W. (2014). Curative Effect of Acupuncture Therapy of Regulating Mentality combined with Auricular Point in the Treatment of Insomnia. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion. 30(7).
Garnet Santicruz RMT, CMRP, CPTS
It’s not just a matter of knowing where parts are in the body but being able to acknowledge what must be treated first like a hierarchy of things. It’s been over a decade of working with bodies that needed to be soothed, relaxed, healed, and put back together and I can honestly say that it is still challenging to know what method to apply to get to the solution.
'I find myself closing my eyes when my mind is trying to take over.'
There is an art to working one on one with people through manual therapy but the real connection happens when you feel what is happening under the skin. In the beginning, my practice of massage was very technical and clinical. Every client was like taking my practical exam over and over again. Now a decade past, the technical and clinical overlap with intuition. Now I find myself closing my eyes when my mind is trying to take over. This method, borrowed from a blind man massaging in a local mall in the Philippines, enables me to feel this medium called the body. It's like putting your hands in water, where air and water are separated through a very thin line. A lot can be said about thin lines in the body and one example is how pain and pleasure travel down the same neuropathway. I find that my eyes shut allow my other senses to be heightened or at least less noisy. The blind man from the Philippines was able to tell a lot about my body. Just by touching my neck and shoulders without any formal training in Anatomy or Neurology, he was able to trace where my body was restricted. He also noticed that I was not breathing properly like I was stressed. Fast forward to now I would put myself in that exact situation by turning off a bias of judgment during treatment which is my eyes. It can be deceiving sometimes when we are always using our eyes to judge and as simple as quieting the mind my having fewer works for me. At this point, I can follow the rhythm of the body like listening to a song with its many changes of sound. The body has a rhythm whether you say, ' I have two left feet but still the body says 'I have rhythm just not on the dance floor.'
'I have rhythm just not on the dance floor.'
Understanding, that the body is rhythmical, like air going in and out of your lungs or the beats of your heart, timing is everything. To plug into the hardware is what it’s like to connect with someone’s body. Feeling and intuitiveness is of importance. The analysis of a disorganized body, which pain often presents itself, comes through a collaboration of the mind and what your connections (hands, arms, etc.) is giving you. The approach comes latter on what to do next. A plan on how to treat the body is a good start but the actual treating happens when total immersion occur and essentially you are able to feel every part of the body from head to toe.
