Nutrition plays a fundamental role in overall health and well-being by influencing various aspects of our physical and mental state. Here’s how:
1. Building and Repairing Body Tissues:
Nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fats provide the building blocks for creating and repairing tissues throughout the body, including muscles, bones, and organs. A balanced diet ensures these essential elements are readily available for optimal maintenance and growth.
2. Providing Energy:
Macronutrients, primarily carbohydrates and fats, serve as the primary sources of energy for our body’s various functions, from basic cellular activities to physical movement. Consuming adequate amounts of these nutrients ensures the body has the fuel it needs to function efficiently.
3. Supporting Immune Function:
A variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains support the immune system, which defends against infections and diseases. These nutrients play crucial roles in:Production of immune cellsFunctioning of the immune systemFighting off pathogens
4. Maintaining Mental Health:
The gut-brain connection highlights the impact of nutrition on mental well-being. A balanced diet rich in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals can positively influence brain function, mood regulation, and cognitive performance. Conversely, deficiencies in certain nutrients can contribute to mood swings, fatigue, and even depression.
5. Reducing Disease Risk:
Consuming a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting unhealthy fats, added sugars, and processed foods can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases. This includes cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and obesity.
6. Promoting Physical Performance:
Proper nutrition is essential for optimizing physical performance for athletes and individuals engaging in regular exercise. Consuming the right combination of nutrients before, during, and after exercise helps fuel workouts, enhance recovery, and improve muscle growth and strength.
7. Maintaining Weight Management:
A balanced diet rich in whole foods and low in processed and sugary options helps with weight management. It promotes feelings of fullness, improves satiety, and helps regulate metabolism, all contributing to maintaining a healthy weight.
Overall, a balanced and nutritious diet is crucial for maintaining good health, preventing chronic diseases, and promoting overall well-being. By incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich foods into your daily regime, you can significantly contribute to your physical and mental health.
Taking a multivitamin is a daily routine for half of American adults. In theory, they can fill in the nutritional gaps that your diet may not have been able to. Even if you eat the “best” diet, supplements can help fully optimize your health, but multivitamins may not actually be the answer. If you asked me which vitamin is most worth it, I’d say magnesium.
What about taking a multivitamin?
Although multivitamins are designed to cover all bases by giving you a combination of nutrients, things don’t actually happen that easily. So far, no studies have shown that multivitamins truly improve health. In fact, five recent studies have reported that they don’t improve cardiovascular health, reduce COVID-19 deaths, or improve other markers of overall health.
Moreover, the benefits that do show up might just be in people’s minds. One study, including data from over 21,000 U.S. adults, found that 30 percent reported improvement in overall health while taking multivitamins, yet there weren’t any actual differences between those who took them and those who didn’t.
According to the June 2022 United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations, there is not enough evidence out there to fully assess the health benefits and risks of multivitamin use. This further drives home that the health impacts are at best inconclusive, and it’s been this way for a while now.
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral that plays a crucial role in every part of the body, from the muscles to the brain, kidneys, and heart. A typical rule of thumb is that if a food is green or has fiber, it has magnesium in it. Foods like avocado, almonds, and spinach are considered to be good sources.
(Photo by Evan Lorne on Shutterstock)
If it’s in food, why would I need a supplement?
Health experts consistently report that many people in the U.S. do not get enough of magnesium through food. This equally goes for people who eat lots of plant-based foods and people who eat more of a standard American (Western) diet. The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is close to 420 mg/day, but Americans are averaging closer to 200 mg daily. This is due to the fact that there are simply a lot of ways that magnesium is either depleted from our bodies and our environment, such as:
Signs of magnesium deficiency can be much more common than you might think. Debilitating period cramps, consistent muscle pains and aches, and poor sleep are all examples. Magnesium deficiency is also highly implicated in hypertension and Type 2 diabetes, two of the most common chronic diseases in the world. The mineral regulates salt and potassium (and therefore blood pressure), as well as blood sugar, so running low on it can be a key driver for both of these.
Better sleep quality and mental health management are also some of the most popular reasons for taking the supplement. One psychologist calls it “the original chill pill,” thanks to it showing great promise in patients with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress management.
Magnesium can effectively reduce, and possibly even stop seizures as they are happening. Epilepsy continues to be a growing concern, particularly due to there being few medical interventions that work well for people with it. The mineral can penetrate the brain and confer protection in this population.
There are tons of other benefits that have been discovered as well:
It’s almost as if magnesium is a multivitamin in and of itself, right? Magnesium can be a powerful tool to maximize your wellness through all of its various functions in the body, and there are even more than mentioned here. But as always, nutrition and supplementation is an individual process. Be sure to work with your own dietitian and/or physician to do what is best for your unique circumstances and lifestyle.
People diagnosed with early onset dementia are up to seven times more likely to take their own life, a new study warns.
The study of more than 590,000 patients in the United Kingdom found an increased risk of suicide connected to dementia among patients developing the condition before the age of 65. Researchers also found a rise in suicide risk among patients receiving a dementia diagnosis within the previous three months.
In the United States, more than six million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease — the most common form of dementia. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of the disease. Overall, dementia kills more adults than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Estimates show that only two-thirds of those living with dementia have received a formal diagnosis from their doctor. While health organizations are working to improve access to screening options for aging adults, there is still a shortage of resources which support patients already dealing with the neurodegenerative condition.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Nottingham University undertook a study of medical records from 2001 to 2019 to determine if there was a link between dementia diagnosis and suicide risk. Results show that roughly two percent of patients diagnosed with dementia die by suicide.
However, the findings, published in JAMA Neurology, showed that patients were more likely to engage in self-harm if their diagnosis came before their 65th birthday, in the first three months after a diagnosis, or if they had a history of psychiatric illness.
‘A dementia diagnosis can be devastating’
Of the 4,940 patients diagnosed with dementia, 1.92 percent died by suicide. Compared with patients without a dementia diagnosis, patients receiving a dementia diagnosis before the age of 65 had a 2.82 times increased risk of suicide.
Patients of any age who were within the first three months of receiving a dementia diagnosis saw their risk of suicide increase 2.47 times. People with dementia who died by suicide were also noticeably younger at their time of death (76.05 years-old) than patients with dementia who died of other causes (80.50).
The research team says that early recognition and a timely accurate diagnosis of dementia, combined with specialist support, are “hugely important” factors in reducing the distress caused by a young onset diagnosis.
“Improving access to a dementia diagnosis is an important healthcare priority. However, a dementia diagnosis can be devastating, and our work shows that we also need to ensure that services have the resources to provide appropriate support after a diagnosis is given,” says senior author Dr. Charles Marshall, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University of London, in a media release.
“These findings suggest that memory clinics should particularly target suicide risk assessment to patients with young-onset dementia, patients in the first few months after dementia diagnosis and patients already known to have psychiatric problems,” adds lead author Dr. Danah Alothman, a researcher at the University of Nottingham.
Drinking, depression, and vitamin D deficiency may all lead to early-onset dementia, a new study warns.
This research, examining 15 risk factors, identified both genetic predispositions and lifestyle and environmental influences that significantly increase the likelihood of early-onset dementia — a condition more commonly associated with older individuals. Other risk factors include stroke, social isolation, hearing loss, and heart disease.
Individuals with early or young-onset dementia develop symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60. The study, which involved over 350,000 British participants, is the most extensive of its kind and challenges the previously held belief that genetics are the sole cause of this debilitating condition. It raises hope that targeting the identified health and lifestyle factors could help prevent the disease in younger people.
Dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, impairs the ability to remember, think, or make decisions, affecting everyday activities. While it mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of aging and can impact individuals as young as 30. However, early-onset dementia has been relatively under-researched, despite approximately 370,000 new cases occurring globally each year.
The groundbreaking research, conducted by the University of Exeter and Maastricht University, followed over 350,000 individuals under 65 from the UK Biobank study. It assessed various risk factors, from genetics to lifestyle and environmental influences.
Findings show that lower formal education, lower socioeconomic status, genetic variation, lifestyle factors like alcohol use disorder, and social isolation were linked to early-onset dementia. Additionally, health issues such as vitamin D deficiency, depression, stroke, hearing impairment, and heart disease were found to significantly increase the risk.
“This breakthrough study illustrates the crucial role of international collaboration and big data in advancing our understanding of dementia,” says Professor David Llewellyn from the University of Exeter in a media release. “Excitingly, for the first time, it reveals that we may be able to take action to reduce risk of this debilitating condition through targeting a range of different factors.”
The study, supported by ten other institutions, including Alzheimer’s Research UK, is the first to demonstrate links between mental health issues and early-onset dementia.
“Young-onset dementia has a very serious impact, because the people affected usually still have a job, children, and a busy life,” says Dr. Stevie Hendriks from Maastricht University. “The cause is often assumed to be genetic, but for many people we don’t actually know exactly what the cause is. This is why we also wanted to investigate other risk factors in this study.”
The team believes this research could lead to a new era in interventions to reduce new cases of young-onset dementia. They also emphasize the transformation in understanding dementia risk and the potential for reduction at both individual and societal levels.
“This pioneering study shines important and much-needed light on factors that can influence the risk of young-onset dementia,” adds Dr. Leah Mursaleen, Head of Clinical Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK. “This starts to fill in an important gap in our knowledge. It will be important to build on these findings in broader studies.”
Researchers have identified a wide range of risk factors for young-onset dementia. The findings challenge the notion that genetics are the sole cause of the condition, laying the groundwork for new prevention strategies.
The largescale study identified 15 risk factors, which are similar to those for late-onset dementia. For the first time, they indicate that it may be possible to reduce the risk of young-onset dementia by targeting health and lifestyle factors.
Relatively little research has been done on young-onset dementia, though globally there are around 370,000 new cases of young-onset dementia each year.
Published in JAMA Neurology, the new research by the University of Exeter and Maastricht University followed more than 350,000 participants younger than 65 across the United Kingdom from the UK Biobank study. The team evaluated a broad array of risk factors ranging from genetic predispositions to lifestyle and environmental influences. The study revealed that lower formal education, lower socioeconomic status, genetic variation, lifestyle factors such as alcohol use disorder and social isolation, and health issues including vitamin D deficiency, depression, stroke, hearing impairment and heart disease significantly elevate risk of young-onset dementia
Professor David Llewellyn of the University of Exeter emphasized the importance of the findings: “This breakthrough study illustrates the crucial role of international collaboration and big data in advancing our understanding of dementia. There’s still much to learn in our ongoing mission to prevent, identify, and treat dementia in all its forms in a more targeted way. This is the largest and most robust study of its kind ever conducted. Excitingly, for the first time it reveals that we may be able to take action to reduce risk of this debilitating condition, through targeting a range of different factors.
Dr Stevie Hendriks, Researcher at Maastricht University, said: “Young-onset dementia has a very serious impact, because the people affected usually still have a job, children, and a busy life. The cause is often assumed to be genetic, but for many people we don’t actually know exactly what the cause is. This is why we also wanted to investigate other risk factors in this study.”
Sebastian Köhler, Professor of Neuroepidemiology at Maastricht University, said: “We already knew from research on people who develop dementia at older age that there are a series of modifiable risk factors. In addition to physical factors, mental health also plays an important role, including avoiding chronic stress, loneliness and depression. The fact that this is also evident in young-onset dementia came as a surprise to me, and it may offer opportunities to reduce risk in this group too.”
The study’s support was supported by Alzheimer’s Research UK, The Alan Turing Institute/Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Alzheimer Nederland, Gieskes Strijbis Fonds, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, and Alzheimer Netherlands.
Dr Janice Ranson, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, said: “Our research breaks new ground in identifying that the risk of young-onset dementia can be reduced. We think this could herald a new era in interventions to reduce new cases of this condition.”
Dr Leah Mursaleen, Head of Clinical Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, which co-funded the study, said: “At Alzheimer’s Research UK we’re committed to funding research into how to prevent dementia, as well as how to diagnose and treat it, so that we can help bring about a world free of the fear, harm and heartbreak of this devastating condition.”
Your immune system is like a shield against the outside world. It works hard to protect you from invading germs, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can make you feel lousy or even dangerously ill. But when your shield is weak, you’re more vulnerable to whatever comes your way.
To ensure that your immunity is as strong as it can be, there are some surprising ways you can boost your immune system. In this article, we’ll explore ten of those ways and discuss why they work so well in keeping you healthy.
1. Spend time with friends and family
One key way to boost your immune system is to spend time doing things that make you happy, and that includes hanging out with friends and family. Having a strong social support system helps to reduce the risk of chronic stress, which is one of the biggest factors that can affect your immune system.
Spending time with friends and family can also help you to stay connected and get perspective on different situations. This kind of connection can provide emotional and physical benefits that will help to boost your immune system.
2. Wash your hands
Another important thing you can do to protect your health is to wash your hands. Handwashing helps to boost your immune system by reducing the number of unwanted germs that may enter your body. This, in turn, can reduce your chances of getting sick or spreading illness to others.
You should wash your hands:
Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
After using the bathroom
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling garbage or waste
Whenever they look dirty
3. Eat probiotic foods
Your gut is home to about 70% of your immune system, so it’s important to keep the digestive system healthy. Probiotic foods are a great way to boost your immune system.
In case you didn’t know, probiotics are live bacteria and are found in food. They are good for your health, especially your digestive system. They can help improve gut health by restoring the balance between types of bacteria in your gut. Some probiotic-rich foods include raw (organic) yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha.
When choosing a probiotic food, look for one that contains live and active cultures. Also, be sure to check the expiration date. Probiotics are live organisms, so they can lose their potency over time. Choose a probiotic food that has been refrigerated to maintain its strength.
4. Get some sun
A surprising way to boost your immune system is to get some sun exposure every day for at least 10 minutes. The sun is a great source of vitamin D, which is important for immunity. Vitamin D helps to boost your immune system and keeps it functioning properly. It also helps to fight off infections.
Plus, getting some sun exposure can help regulate your mood and reduce stress levels. Soaking up some natural sunshine could be just what you need to give yourself a boost of energy and maintain your overall health.
5. Eat more healthy fats
Including healthy fats in your diet is important to boost your immune system. Healthy fats help to keep your cells functioning properly and help your body to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Some good sources include organic avocados, extra virgin olive oil, wild-caught fish, nuts, and seeds.
Eating a diet that is high in healthy fats can help to improve your overall health and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Including healthy fats in your diet can also help to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can lead to a number of health problems.
6. Try yoga or meditation to reduce stress
To boost your immune system, it’s critical to manage the stress in your life. One of the best things you can do to reduce stress is to try yoga or meditation. Each has been shown to be very effective in managing stress levels.
Yoga can help reduce stress by calming the body, mind and spirit. It helps to improve blood circulation, increase flexibility, and boost your mood. Meditation can also help reduce stress by providing a sense of peace and clarity, helping you stay in control even when faced with difficult situations.
Both activities can be done in the comfort of your own home or with an instructor. No matter what type of yoga or meditation practice you choose, it’s important to keep a positive attitude and focus on creating positive energy within yourself.
7. Get acupuncture or massage therapy
Acupuncture and massage therapy are two great things you can do to boost your immune system. Acupuncture helps to improve circulation and increases the production of white blood cells, which help your body fight infections.
Massage therapy increases the lymphatic system’s production of white blood cells and helps to reduce stress, which can weaken your immunity.
8. Spend more time in nature
Being outside and in nature is great for building a healthy immune system. Spending time in nature can be very calming and will reduce your stress levels. This can help to boost your immune system and make you less susceptible to illness. When you spend time outdoors, your body also gets vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D helps to fight off infections and keeps your bones strong.
So, make sure you get outside every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Take a walk in the park, sit in your backyard, or go for a hike in the woods. The fresh air and sunlight will do you good. All of these activities can help you to connect with nature and reap the benefits of being outside.
9. Laugh more often
One surprising thing you can do to give your body the support it needs to stay healthy and fight off infection is to laugh more often.
Yes, that’s right – laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter helps to boost your immune system by increasing the production of infection-fighting antibodies and white blood cells. Laughter also relieves stress, which can take a toll on your immune system.
So, if you want to keep your immune system strong, make sure to add some laughter into your life every day. Watch a funny movie, read a humorous book, or spend time with friends who make you laugh. It’s good for your health – and your soul!
10. Self-talk yourself to healthier behaviors
When it comes to our health, the things we say to ourselves matter. Research has shown that self-talk can influence our behavior, including our eating habits and how often we exercise – all important habits to boost your immune system.
If you’re trying to make healthier choices, start by talking to yourself in a positive way. For example, instead of saying “I have to go work out,” tell yourself “I get to go work out.” This simple switch can make exercise feel less like a chore and more like something you want to do.
In addition to being motivational, positive self-talk can also help reduce stress. And reducing stress is important for maintaining a strong immune system. So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or down on yourself, take a step back and give yourself some encouraging words. You deserve it!
Learn more about how to boost your immune system
There are plenty of surprising ways to boost your immune system and make sure that your body is able to ward off disease and infection. From spending time with friends and family and laughing more often to more creative solutions such as acupuncture or yoga – there’s something for everyone when it comes to taking care of themselves.
Try out some of these tips today to boost your immune system and give yourself an extra layer of protection from the outside world!
This animated infographic shows the positive changes the body experiences over time after quitting smoking.
Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. In the United States, cigarette smoking is linked to about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk for lung cancer. Tobacco smoke is a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals. Many are poisons. At least 70 are known to cause cancer in people or animals.
People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. Even smoking a few cigarettes a day or smoking occasionally increases the risk of lung cancer. The more years a person smokes and the more cigarettes smoked each day, the more risk goes up.
People who quit smoking have a lower risk of lung cancer than if they had continued to smoke, but their risk is higher than the risk for people who never smoked. Quitting smoking at any age can lower the risk of lung cancer.
Cigarette smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body. Cigarette smoking causes cancer of the mouth and throat, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, voicebox (larynx), lung, trachea, bronchus, kidney and renal pelvis, urinary bladder, and cervix, and causes acute myeloid leukemia.
Secondhand Smoke
Smoke from other people’s cigarettes, pipes, or cigars (secondhand smoke) also causes lung cancer. In the United States, one out of four people who don’t smoke, including 14 million children, were exposed to secondhand smoke during 2013 to 2014.
This video explains what radon is, how it can enter your home and cause lung cancer, and how to fix a radon problem if needed.
After smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that forms in rocks, soil, and water. It cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. When radon gets into homes or buildings through cracks or holes, it can get trapped and build up in the air inside. People who live or work in these homes and buildings breathe in high radon levels. Over long periods of time, radon can cause lung cancer.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. The risk of lung cancer from radon exposure is higher for people who smoke than for people who don’t smoke. However, the EPA estimates that more than 10% of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur among people who have never smoked cigarettes. Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States has high radon levels. Learn how to test your home for radon and reduce the radon level if it is high.
Other Substances
Examples of substances found at some workplaces that increase risk include asbestos,arsenic,diesel exhaust, and some forms of silica and chromium. For many of these substances, the risk of getting lung cancer is even higher for those who smoke. Living in areas with higher levels of air pollution may increase the risk of getting lung cancer.
Personal or Family History of Lung Cancer
If you are a lung cancer survivor, there is a risk that you may develop another lung cancer, especially if you smoke. Your risk of lung cancer may be higher if your parents, brothers or sisters, or children have had lung cancer. This could be true because they also smoke, they live or work in the same place where they are exposed to radon and other substances that can cause lung cancer, or because of an inherited genetic mutation.
Radiation Therapy to the Chest
Cancer survivors who had radiation therapy to the chest are at higher risk of lung cancer.
Diet
Scientists are studying many different foods and dietary supplements to see whether they change the risk of getting lung cancer. There is much we still need to know. We do know that people who smoke and take beta-carotene supplements have increased risk of lung cancer. For more information, visit Lung Cancer Prevention.
Also, arsenic and radon in drinking water (primarily from private wells) can increase the risk of lung cancer.
Despite no sufficient evidence on benefits and harms of multivitamin use, cancer survivors use multivitamins as a self-care strategy to improve or maintain health. We examined if multivitamin use was associated with mortality in cancer survivors.
Methods
15,936 male and 7026 female cancer survivors in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study were included in the analysis. Types and frequency of multivitamin use at on average 4.6 years after cancer diagnosis were assessed. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.
Results
Multivitamin use was not associated with lower all-cause mortality risk in all female (RR = 0.94, 95% CI:0.87–1.01 daily vs. no use) or male cancer survivors (RR = 0.96, 95% CI:0.91–1.00); however, a modest inverse association for CVD mortality was observed in female survivors of reproductive cancers (RR = 0.75, 95% CI:0.61–0.92) and male survivors of non-reproductive cancers (RR = 0.81, 95% CI:0.70–0.94). Multivitamin use was also associated with a lower risk of cancer-specific mortality in survivors of skin (RR = 0.65, 95% CI:0.48–0.88) and breast (RR = 0.79, 95% CI:0.65–0.95) cancer.
Discussion
Multivitamin use may provide a modest survival benefit to some cancer survivors. Cancer care providers should talk with cancer survivors about potential benefits and harms of multivitamin use.
“My back is killing me!” Haven’t we all heard that countless times? And not just in our clinical practice, classrooms, at dinner parties, out shopping, or during phone calls with friends and family. How many of us stop in our tracks to offer help on the spot?
I’ve shared various examples of my spontaneous sessions (from a deli floor in New York City to a bank teller’s chair in Rome) in previous columns.1-2 Some of you asked me to share yet more tips to deal swiftly with niggling back pains that don’t mask a serious health issue. The following tips can be integrated with most forms of ABT, and as a prelim to needling where appropriate.
The “Frisk” Position
Yes indeed – the receiver is pressed up against the wall, arms and legs outstretched. This is a great way to apply pressure-counterpressure. Involve the receiver in a visual “waterfall” of qi from neck to ankles. Initially, do a “qi sweep” with your flat hands along either side of the spine, and then down the back of each leg so you have a quick insight into UB blocks, distortions or painful areas from neck to ankle.
Repeat a couple of times. Then do a subtle diagonal stretch with one hand on the receiver’s butt, and the other on the opposite shoulder blade.
Return to areas that seem to “call you.” Make a note of any specific back shu point involvements worth discussing with the receiver. That in itself will help ease tension.
Then start thumbing down UB on either side of the spine; or utilize the “pinch” or “squeeze” technique: one hand supporting the lower back, the other “pinching” the UB on either side of the spine between your thumb and the knuckle of your first finger.
This “two-handed” technique, a classic in zen shiatsu, provides harmony between the ”moving” hand and the “listening” hand. Easy to perform. Very comfortable for the receiver. Followed by a simple palming down the legs and finally, a slow pinch of the Achilles, the UB 60 / K 3 area.
UB 36, in the middle of the gluteal fold, zaps lower back pain. Sink your thumbs bilaterally into those points with a slight lifting technique, with your fingers pointed upwards. Also a great way to ease sciatic pain. Pinching the Achilles and applying upward pressure to UB 36 simultaneously is also a great way to ease lower back pain.
Don’t Forget to Ask the Receiver to Stretch!
Between each technique, ask the receiver to step away from the wall to do some simple qi stretches in slow motion. Deep breathing helps throughout, as a lot of folks tend to hold their breath while you work on them, and that’s counterproductive.
Yes, I’ve used the “frisk” position in classrooms, offices, airports, in public during political demonstrations, in cafes, and in clinical practice, especially on clients experiencing computer overload! Often, 10 minutes work like a charm, especially in a crowded or busy situation.
Techniques During Pregnancy or Labor?
When your pregnant client is in the supine position, knees atop a pillow, it’s helpful to reach under her back, keeping your hands flat on the table, fingertips raised to apply pressure down the UB meridian. Her bodyweight does the work.
It’s a very effective technique to give, but remember your hands need to be flat on the futon or table under the receiver at all times so you don’t strain your wrists. .
I have done this successfully in any situation in which the receiver cannot lie in the prone or side positions. I have also performed this hour after hour during a long labor, pausing during contractions, and then continuing before the next contraction. Again, feedback is crucial. In some instances your client might ask you to pause in one section of her back. In other situations she may ask you to keep applying pressure to one point after another.
Side Positioning
Very comfy for folks unable to lie in either prone or supine, and/or/if you also need good access to GB meridians. Make sure the receiver’s upper leg is bent and resting on a pillow for stability. Some receivers also like to hug an additional pillow.
Also a good technique during pregnancy. Great stretch for the lumbar region and a good way to thumb around the sacrum, where we all carry a lot of tension and “pooled” qi.
Stretches in the Side Position
Rest both elbows, palms up, in the middle of the torso and then move your hands apart and swivel your hands around, palms down, to maximize a wonderful side stretch. Repeat a couple of times. Then palm down either side of the spine to enhance qi flow along the UB meridian. Note which back shu points seem to “hold” you, ask you to pause. And communicate with the receiver to gain more information about the specific areas that add relief – or discomfort.
Once the receiver seems more flexible, lean over, cup their knee in your elbow, and rotate the hip. Your opposite hand provides pressure on the sacrum. Bring the knee up as high as possible according to the receiver’s comfort level. And do everything in slow motion.
Chairwork in Public: Don’t Forget to Ask Questions
I recall a moment at an open house when several bodyworkers were giving volunteer chair sessions. A young woman cried out in pain when a teacher started to perform some vigorous wrist-rolling tuina down her back. He’d neglected to ask her some basic questions about injuries, surgeries, chronic problems etc. It turned she had cancer of the spine, but alas, hadn’t said anything.
Even in a public situation, it’s helpful to engage the receiver in simple “backtalk” while running a hand gently down his/her spine. It’s also good to have a demo spine on display (if it’s a school) or at least a colorful anatomy book or open laptop program to discuss both anatomical and acupoint associations.
It’s always helpful to start chairwork with some thumb pressure along the shoulders (pausing in GB 21) and thumbing around the T1-T3 zone to ease upper back tension. Also a great technique to release the first glimmerings of a headache.
Bob the Lawn Guy
When I noticed Bob struggling with his lawn mower, I invited him to my next class so we could work on his back, and demo some useful lifting and movement techniques. I had also noted Bob and his guys quaffing one iced Coke after another while working along the block.
I suggested he fill his cooler with bottled water, flat and sparkling. He did this and included green tea. Within a couple of weeks he told me his back pain had eased and he no longer experienced sugar lows.
Jack and Jill Decide to Buy a New Mattress
Friends of mine were both experiencing back pain, so I offered to make a house call on my way home one evening. I walked into their bedroom and checked their futon.
“Seriously?” I laughed. “You’re sleeping on this lumpy old futon and wonder why you wake up each morning with back pain?” They stared at me.
“But that’s our wonderful college futon!” Jack wailed. “Our first love nest!”
“It saw us through graduate school,” said Jill.
“We can’t just toss it away!” said Jack.
“Compromise?” I suggested. “Convert it into a snug corner loveseat for you and the dogs. Drape it with colorful rugs and cushions. Don’t waste money paying me for shiatsu; treat yourselves to a new futon or mattress instead!”
They did – and were amazed at how quickly their back pains vanished!
These recommendations are for people at average risk for certain cancers. Talk to a doctor about which tests you might need and the screening schedule that’s right for you. It’s a good idea to also talk about risk factors, such as lifestyle behaviors and family history that may put you or your loved one at higher risk. See more in-depth recommendations in Cancer Screening Guidelines by Age.
Age 25–39 Screening recommendations
Cervical cancer screening recommended for people with a cervix beginning at age 25.
Age 40–49 Screening recommendations
Breast cancer screening recommended beginning at age 45, with the option to begin at age 40.
Cervical cancer screening recommended for people with a cervix.
Colorectal cancer screening recommended for everyone beginning at age 45.
At age 45, African Americans should discuss prostate cancer screening with a doctor.
Age 50+ Screening recommendations
Breast cancer screening recommended.
Cervical cancer screening recommended.
Colorectal cancer screening recommended.
People who currently smoke or formerly smoked should discuss lung cancer screening with a doctor.
Discussing prostate cancer screening with a doctor recommended.
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