Torso/Leg Lengths and Stress

                "I do most of my work sitting down; that's where I shine.

                                        ~ Robert Benchley

 

Your torso and leg lengths have a great deal to do with your ability to concentrate, to stay focused, to be comfortable and  to understand your stress response. 

Basic body balance compares the length of the torso to the length of the legs. Someone with long legs/short torso has a higher center of gravity and is more comfortable sitting. Someone with short legs/long torso has a lower center of gravity and is built to move.

Which one are you? (And, you might be somewhere in between)

Extremely Long Legs and Short Torso 

"I am built to SIT. I'm really stressed if I have to be on my feet for a long time during the day. If I am really interested in what I am doing I can force myself to be up. But, at the end of the day I want to sit, relax, watch TV, etc. and regroup."

Extremely Short Legs and Long Torso

"I am built to MOVE. I feel best when I am up and moving. To sit for long periods of time is 'cruel and unusual punishment' for me. At the end of the day I have energy to spare. I want to get out and have some fun or at least go for a run."

**Knowing your body type makes it easier to regulate stress.**

Long Legs/Short Torso - Your best exercise is bike riding, rowing, weight lifting. You can sit and exercise at the same time! Give yourself permission to sit 10 to 15 minutes to regroup after standing for long periods of time.

Short Legs/Long Torso - Discovering your body type may dispel labels such as ADD and ADHD! If you find yourself under stress, MOVE!

If you have a "squirmy" child, check out their leg and torso lengths. You probably already have an idea who needs to move to stay focused. Help them know their true nature.

 

Eye Exercises to Help Your Child With Learning

Here is a repeat message that I have written about in previous blogs that I think is so important:

Your eyes are an extension of your brain and the only part of your brain that can be seen! When your eyes are tired, your brain is tired and the reverse is true, as well.

When your child is having trouble with reading, reading comprehension, math, numbers, spelling and more, the exercises below may help address the challenges.

• Place one hand on the navel and use the other hand to massage below the collar bone (clavicle bone), close to the middle of your body;

• Slowly rotate the eyes clockwise and then counter-clockwise;

• Change hands and repeat. Take frequent deep breaths.
  

 

Variations to add to the exercise above:

 

• Say the alphabet aloud while rotating the eyes clockwise and counter-clockwise;

• 
  If the child is having trouble with silent reading, think the alphabet while rotating the eyes;

• If the stress is with math, replace saying the alphabet with speaking the numbers 1 - 10, while rotating the eyes;

• The above technique is wonderful for helping your child master the times tables. Use flash cards to start making it easier. 

To have more fun with any of these exercises, be creative: add music, make it a game, add cross-patterning, add a dance. Make learning enjoyable!

If your child gets frustrated at any point, you can always add Frontal/Occipital Holding or OMG points (below) to reduce the stress. Both techniques are valuable tools for any overwhelming situation.

 

 

Polarity Breathing Exercise

Life can be stressful. In your hurry to go places and do things, you often forget to breathe deeply. This blocks the natural positive and negative ionization process in the body.

You are designed much like a battery, with positive and negative charges throughout your body. If your breathing is shallow, it is if you took the positive side of a battery, plugged it into the negative side of the flashlight and then expected the light to go on. Nature doesn't work that way.

The following is a simple exercise for re-balancing the positive and negative ions in your body, thus reducing stress:

• While holding the tongue to the roof of your mouth, hold one nostril closed and breathe IN deeply through the other;

• Hold the other nostril closed and exhale;

• Repeat this pattern 3 times and then reverse the process.

 

Reduce Stress with Eye Positions

When you find yourself in overwhelm with a lot of mind chatter, deep breathing in all eye positions can offer relief.  Since you feel with your eyes, you may find an emotional release as you do the exercise. Go with it and let it flow. That may be the relief you need.

Take a deep breath with each step:

1. Look straight UP;

2. Look diagonally UP RIGHT;

3. Look to the RIGHT;

4. Look diagonally DOWN RIGHT;

5. Look straight DOWN;

6. Look diagonally DOWN LEFT;

7. Look LEFT; 

8. Look diagonally UP LEFT;

9. Look STRAIGHT AHEAD;

Repeat all steps with your eyes CLOSED.

If you do find yourself feeling emotional, stop and add Frontal/Occipital Holding to the eye rotations. This technique brings blood, circulation and intention to the front of your brain. You will feel more present because the forehead stimulates thinking, imagination and choice without added emotion.

Frontal/Occipital Holding by itself is a wonderful stress release. Just hold and breathe. Add a visual if you wish. Children love this technique and it gives you an opportunity to place your hands on their head and quietly talk to them. A "meltdown" melts away and you will see them take a deep cleansing breath.

 

Reduce Stress with the Gamut Point Procedure

The Gamut Point Procedure is a self-healing process that is part of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), a practice that incorporates tapping acupressure points for pain and emotional relief. 

This technique is simple and powerful at the same time. When stressed, you want something easy and doable.

To reduce stress, anxiety and/or fear, do the following while tapping, massaging or
holding the Gamut point:

• Close your eyes for a few seconds;

• Open your eyes;

• 
  Keeping your head still, look hard down to the right;

• Continuing to keeping your head still, look hard down to the left;

• Slowly roll your eyes in a full circle in a clockwise direction, imagining that you can see each number on the face of a clock;

• Then slowly roll your eyes back in a full circle in a counter-clockwise direction;

• Hum about 5 seconds of any song that comes to mind;

• Count to 5 out loud;

• Lastly, hum about 5 seconds of any song again.
  

 

Humming For Stress Relief

I'm still writing during holiday time. For many, this is both an exiting and stressful time of year. There are lots of expectations from both yourself and others. This could put you into an overwhelm mode and add to an already burdened nervous system.

A very simple technique to reduce stress or anxiety, activate your vagus nerve putting your Parasympathetic Nervous system into rest, digest and relaxation is HUMMING!

 

Everyone can hum. And, it has so many benefits.

• Increases oxygen in the cells which can benefit health and wellness;
• May lower blood pressure and heart rate;
• Enhances lymphatic circulation thereby clearing toxins from the body;
• Increases levels of melatonin a hormone that contributes to restful sleep;
• Reduces levels of stress related hormones;
  
• Releases endorphins that work as natural pain relievers and makes you feel good;
• Helps release trapped emotions from your Hyoid (throat) muscles;
  
• And, allows for better digestion.
  

Have You Laughed Today?

 

For 7 years I traveled 3 hours each way to Cape Cod to see my elderly parents who were in a nursing home. To make the trip more pleasant, I decided to buy a subscription to Sirius satellite radio. I have quite an eclectic list of programs from Motown music, Broadway, talk radio, Howard Stern and I find that one of  my favorite stations was Laugh USA, which highlights the great comedians (like Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, George Carlin) I also listened to the Joel Osteen show, which features positive messages! Both are full of laughs and inspirational stories.

In one show Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church, spoke about the power of laughter and the healing power that laughing brought to one of his friends who suffered from fibromyalgia. It reminded me of the wonderful workshops that I took in the 1980s with Dr. Bernie Siegal, author of the book, A Book of Miracles - Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude and Love. He, too, spoke of patients who turned their cancer death sentences around by changing their perspective, looking for joy each day and living life to its fullest.

I'm not suggesting that laughter "cures" and I'm not denying it either. In 1978, Norman Cousins, who has been considered the modern father of laughter therapy, wrote Anatomy of an Illness as Described by the Patient. He recounts his experience of watching comedy movies to recover from prolonged pain from a serious illness.

We can't overlook the 1998 movie Patch Adams about Dr. Hunter Campbell who decided at age 18, after three hospitalizations and a challenging life to never have a bad day. I can't do justice to his incredible spirit and life mission. Learn more by going to http://www.patchadams.org

So why do we need laughter? According to some studies, laughter may help physically to:

• Boost the immune and circulatory system
• Improve Blood Pressure readings
• Ease digestion
• Relax the physical body
• Increase endorphins (the body's natural painkillers)
• Improve memory  

Laughter is also the best medicine for:

• Reducing stress
• Improving sleep
• Attitude adjusting
• Enhancing quality of life

"From there to here and here to there, funny things are everywhere."

Dr. Seuss

How do you bring laughter into your life when it seems like nothing is funny?

• 
  Watch funny movies or TV shows
• Spend time with a friend or family member who always make you laugh
• Get a pet
• Watch Too Cute on Animal Planet or find laughable videos on You Tube
• Look for humor everywhere you go
  
• Initiate a laugh by making someone else laugh
• Have a pillow fight with a child - they will love you for it
• Do something that made you laugh when you were young
• Find a Laughter Yoga class
• Most of all... give yourself permission to laugh, no matter what!

"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing."

Mark Twain

Overwhelm Support

 Overwhelm occurs when your nervous system is stuck in freeze mode: fight, flight, freeze. If you can't run or fight, you protect yourself by becoming immobile. Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils writes:

"The freeze response kicks in when the survival system has decided that whatever is facing us is too overwhelming."

So, what do you do? I encourage you to visit the website: www.vibrantblueoils.com

Jodie is an authority on essential oils. Her extensive blogs on the overwhelm response are from many different perspectives. Her book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body is a must have. You will feel like you have gone back to school and you will be armed with meaningful information to support your body, mind, spirit.

 

If you are a facilitator for healing or simply interested in learning more to help yourself become healthier, I recommend the information and summits at www.healthmeans.com

Come back to my blog for more information on the nervous system. I will continue to post simple techniques for supporting your brain and body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addicted to Drama

 I just received the book, Addicted to Drama by Dr. Scott Lyons, a holistic psychologist and body-based trauma expert. I'm interested in his take on the dependency of crisis, chaos and trauma, especially for my clients who struggle with trauma exposure responses.

As a behavioral kinesiologist, I spend considerable time helping clients "rewire" their brain and subconscious. There is an area of the brain called the CIA - Common Integrative Area - that loves to hold you in what you know. If trauma or chaos is the norm, your brain will be confused when you are still and quiet. It's looking for the crisis.

I see that Dr. Lyons has some tips for healing that are very reasonable. I would add that you need to become aware of who and what overwhelms you. What is "too much" for you? The world is already overrun with fear, chaos, confusion. Get to know your limits and become aware of when to step away. And, overwhelm happens. What brings you back into balance? Do you need to turn off your phone or tv, take a walk, take a shower, dance, listen to music, take a flower essence, punch a pillow, pet your cat? Do what works for you.

I have always believed that AWARENESS is 99% of the solution to any problem!

 

 

 

 

 

De-Stress with a Simple Exercise

The following is a self-care technique to release pent up anger, frustration and stress so that you don't become a volcano ready to erupt. Use it for yourself and teach it to your children. They feel overwhelm just as much as the grownups in their life!

1. Stand. Rub your hands together and then shake them off.

2. Take a deep breath and circle your arms above your head.

3. Turn your hands towards you and make a fist.

4. As you blow the air out, "pound" your fists and arms downward. When your arms reach the bottom of the motion, open your hands.

5. Repeat 2 more times, slowly and deliberately.

6. Finish with a "Zip Up" energy exercise. Place your hand on your public bone, take a deep breath as you move your hand up the center of your body to the lower lip. Repeat three times.

    

   

Just Breathe

 It seems so simple to say ... just breathe. It's automatic, right? It is, and you can support so many systems in your body with conscious breathing. Take 5 minutes during the day to focus on deep cleansing breaths. Be aware of your muscles relaxing, your brain clearing and know that you are also detoxifying your body.

One technique you may be aware of is square breathing. It's a wonderful recommendation for anxiety, stress or just needing a break.

Breathe in for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Release for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Repeat as many times as you feel you need.

 

 Another breathing technique that is helpful for reducing stress and supporting body systems is belly breathing. Get comfortable sitting or lying.

1. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, below your rib cage;

2. Focus for a moment on relaxing;

3. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Feel the hand on your belly rise.

4.  Exhale slowly through pursed lips. Is the hand on your chest staying still?

These are only two examples of breathing techniques. Allow yourself to tune in throughout the day and focus on your breath and notice when deep breathing becomes automatic. That is the result of neuroplasticity or the ability of your brain to "rewire" based on new learning patterns.