In this newsletter I talk about two topics:

1. Why our ribs are so important in resolving pain in our body ?

2. Our immunity - How we can improve it through lifestyle and supplements and why good quality sleep is so important for our immune system.

3.For sale

A good quality Denton  pillow  to help your sleep and neck plus a back rest and homeopathics and creams to help heal the body.

Also, to advise that the clinic will be closed from Friday 8 August and I will reopen on Tuesday 19th August.

What is the link between your unresolved pain, your rib cage and nervous system?

If you have been trying to resolve your chronic pain, whether in your neck, shoulders or back, by improving your stress levels and it is not resolving maybe your ribs are an important link. 

We all think of our rib cage as a rigid, protective cage for our heart and lungs. However, it is not rigid but a moving structure that enables us to breathe better, reduce stress and pain and tension. 

The ribs are connected to your spine and so interact with the spine, diaphragm,rib muscles and the shoulders. It expands and contracts with every breath and movement we make. 

But for many of us the rib cage has become stiff due to reduced movement, poor posture, shallow breathing, stress, overwhelm and pain conditions.  

So, when the rib cage does not move properly it can cause the muscles of the neck and shoulders to become tight  and restricted and even cause pain. 

 Signs that your rib cage may be stiff or not functioing properly are:

• Shallow chest breathing - Do you  breathe into your upper chest rather than lower down into your belly.
• Tension in the neck, shoulders or upper back, which has nothing to do with over exercising or lifting heavy weights
• A hunched, rounded upper back
• A straight spine with no natural curves
• Side bending, or rotating your upper back is restricted or painful
• Feelings of anxiety or irritabity especially when standing still.

When your breath is restricted or your posture is changed everything else is affected due to altered tensions in the body. If we are stressed, anxious or depressed this will affect your breathing. This affects your rib cage and thus the shoulders, neck, upper back and pelvis producing pain long term. 

So how do we improve our rib cage mobility? 

1. Breath work - Lie down and put one hand on your chest and the other on the belly. Breathe slowly through your nose and feel where the breath goes. Is it high in the chest or does it move into your ribs? Move your hands to the sides of your chest. Can you feel any rib movement at the sides or back of your rib cage?  You need to  visualise your rib cage expanding from below in all directions, front, sides and back.
2. Movement - Use gentle side bending, twisting and extending either seated or standing to determine if you are restricted or in pain in any of the movements. Then increase these movements slowly as you become more flexible.
3. Awareness - Be aware of how deeply you breathe, how you move your body. Pay attention to any shallow breathing, any stiffness or restrictions in your rib cage. ' Where your attention goes your energy flows'. Very important with breathing.

So maybe you need some massage work on your rib area to loosen up the intercostal muscles between each rib.

Ways to strengthen our immunity before the cold/flu season begins

The influenza season is already here say the Health Department so it is time for us to up the anti to prevent ourselves from getting the flu with either our lifestyle or supplement and herbs.

Polyphenols

A growing body of research is highlighting the role of specific foods, particularly those high in polyphenols such as green tea and mushrooms . Polyphenols act as prebiotics, feeding our gut microbes , which convert them into smaller compounds with greater biological activity. Polyphenols are anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal. The honey, garlic and lemon you may use in a mixture to alleviate cold/flu symptoms are naturally high in polyphenols. Other poyhenol rich foods are berries, rosemary, parsley, chilli, onions and olives. 

Green tea is rich in a poyphenol and is linked to a reduced risk of getting colds or flu. Its polyphenols work by supporting gut microbes, reducing inflammation of the lungs and limiting the ability of certain viruses, including SARS-COV-2 to enter cells. You need to consume green tea very day.

Fibre

Fibre supports gut mcrobes too.A study showed that inulin from onions and garlic boosted SCFA and increased T cell metabolism thus reducing lung inflammation. In another study, a high fibre diet with citrus pectin helped protect against RSV, a virus that is increasing in Australia.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms provide vitamins, fibre, and compounds that support immune health and act as prebiotics. If you do not like eating lots of mushrooms you can buy medicinal varieties like Reishi, Shiitaki, Coriolus and cordyceps in a convenient powder form. They help to regulate the immune system by dampening excessive inflammation. They can be used to support the immune system during Winter or help to relieve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. They can also be used to boost stamina and reduce fatigue during recovery from flu/colds.

Medicinal supplements

As has been said before Vitamin C is well known for reducing the severity of cold smptoms. 1g per day should be taken to reduce symptoms. 

Zinc is important too. Taking Vitamin C plus zinc( 25mg),when you have SARS-COV-2 gives a better antibody activity compared to other interventions. They also protected against excessive inflammation. 

So keep up the fibre in your diet, polyphenols, and Vitamin C and zinc to help protect you from the viruses of winter. 

Lifestyle

Besides diet other lifestyle factors are exercise, reducing stress and increasing the amount of sleep we have each night. We should have at least 7 hours of sleep each night which is a rare thing these days.

So why is sleep so important? 

Normal sleep helps to regulate our adaptive immunity and is crucial for the formation and maintenance of adaptive immunity. Adaptive immunity is when our immune system remembers we have had a disease and the body provides long lasting protection against future infections. With adequate sleep there is a significant increase in the production of IL-12 and IL-2  during sleep compared to when we wake up in the middle of the night. IL-12 defends the body against microbial infections and controls anything that maybe malignant. IL-2 helps to control our immune responses.

Products for sale

Talking of sleep I have a very good brand of pillow by Dentons called 'Softec High Profile', made from moulded Softec. It is suitable for side sleepers with  a medium-large frame. It has different neck suport heights at the front and back edge so you can choose which height is best to keep your neck in alignment. It also has a cotton machine washable cover.

It is the last one I have left. $90

2. Lower back support 

Black sausage shaped foam roller. THe cover can be removed to wash it. It has a loop to go over chairs, very useful if sitting for long periods in the cinema or theatre. $25

3. Herbal creams

Arnica cream - Great for bruising and inflammation. It comes in two sizes - A 20g jar very useful for the first aid kit - $10.90

A 75g tube $16.90.

Calendula cream - This comes from marigold plants . It is anti inflammatory but also helps to heal tissue faster, as when a wound is healing.

20g jar $10.90

75g tube $16.90

Homeopathic small tablets

For the initial stages of a cold such as a sore throat, fever - Combination T $15.45

QUOTE OF THE QUARTER

If you would learn the secret of right relations

Look only for the divine in people and things

And leave all the rest to the Universe.

J. Allen Boone ' Kinship with all life'

Keep moving during Winter as your tendons, ligaments and muscles are not as flexible as in the warmer months. And enjoy any Autumn colours that are left.

Kind Regards

Penny Wade