Three top tips – Rolfing

1. Sit less, move more - Motion is Lotion

Humans are designed to move. Regular and varied movement helps keep the body fluid, loose and disease free*. When we don't move enough, fascial layers bind together, restricting vital fluid flow, resulting in toxic metabolic build up. Sticky fascia stiffens joints and can cause painful nerve entrapment. 

*New research indicates that cancer cells travel down fascial pathways that have lost fluid motion. (See the You tube video below or click here)

Furthermore,
standing still for more than 30 minutes at a time causes a 75% increase on spinal disc pressure. Sitting for the same length of time results in an additional 65% pressure on the spine. Slouching (loosing your lumbar curve) when sitting adds another 45% pressure. That’s a total of 185% extra pressure! - Chronic Back pain anyone? 

For more on Movement habits that harm, please click here: Are you moving with your brakes on? - blog

2. Use your ribs when you breathe

This might not be welcome news if you have developed a belly breathing habit through slouching or through your meditation, yoga or tai chi practice. The logic of this advice is simple though, and you can read a full explanation here: Big Bad Belly Breathing - blog

In brief, belly breathing is excellent for relaxation, but it limits rib movement. If belly breathing becomes your everyday habit, you are heading for trouble. 

The ribs have evolved to move with every breath we take. For the average person that's about 13,000 movements per day. The ribs attach to the long middle section of the spine. When the ribs move, the thoracic vertebrae are also moved in a very beneficial way enabling the discs in between them to stay hydrated and juicy. Belly breathers are missing out on a potential 13,000 Lotion producing movements per day. Go Figure!

3. Walk sexy or suffer
As you walk to work, school or the shops today, take an internal look at your hips. 

• Do they sway a little? 
• Does your spine allow a gentle wave to travel up to the neck? 
• Are your ankles relaxed, do your arms swing? 

Look at some of the people around you. Notice how some seem to express movement from head to toe in a flowing wave. While others carry a motionless torso on stiff legs with unbending ankles. Which are you? 

• Try slowing down a little, relax the ankle of the swinging leg, letting the front of the foot hang down? 
• Maybe imagine a light, relaxing breeze blowing between the two bones in the lower leg as it swings forward. ​
• Or Imagine you have a long, luxurious tail which swings heavily from side to side with each step.

For more on the benefits of walking sexy click this link: Walk Sexy or suffer - blog.