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Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

It’s possible to eat lots of food but to still be under-nourished. It might sound crazy, but if you don’t know how to go about constructing a well balanced healthy diet – “well balanced” being the key word, that’s exactly what can happen.

When your well-being suffers

What happens next is that your well-being suffers. Your immune system doesn’t function as well as it should, you start getting inflammation and picking up various illnesses, and developing certain conditions. Then, instead of addressing the root cause of the problem – the fact that you are actually nutrient deficient, – you start to take medications. All you do of course it to help treat the symptoms, but the underlying cause is still there.

What are the basic components of a healthy diet?

First of all, let’s take a look at what nutrition really means. What are its different elements and why are they so important? Basically there are 6 elements to nutrition:

• Carbohydrates

• Fat

• Minerals

• Protein

• Vitamins

• Water

For a good holistic health and well-being point of view you must have the right blend of all 6 elements. It’s important to understand what each of these 6 elements of nutrition do; why they’re so important to us, so let’s address that now.

Carbohydrates

Your body gets most of its energy from the carbohydrates that you eat. In terms of your body’s daily intake, somewhere around 50% to 60% of your calorific intake should come from this type of nutrition. So if your daily overall calorie target is 2000 calories, this means that between 900 to 1300 of those calories, (or 225g to 325g), should be carbohydrates. Or on a daily target of 1200 calories, the amount of carbohydrate should be between 540 to 780 calories, or 135g to 195g.

Fats

Despite what some people think, not all fat is bad; in fact it is an important part of any well balanced nutritional diet. It helps to insulate your body and maintain temperature, whilst also providing a cushion for your organs which helps to protect them from impact damage. In terms of your daily calorific allowance, you should aim for 20% to 35% fat, which means that on an overall target of 2000 calories, between 400 to 700 calories of fat, and on an overall target of 1200 calories between 240 to 420 calories of fat.

Minerals

Minerals help your body to grow and develop and are divided into two groups; major minerals, and trace minerals.

The major minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. All of these are needed in large quantity.

The trace minerals are chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc, all of which are needed in small quantities. The exact amount of both major and trace minerals that your body requires is dependent on each mineral type.

Protein

Protein is vital for many body functions, and it helps to grow and maintain our body tissues. When we consume protein from food, our bodies break it down and reconstitute it through genetic instruction into various other types of proteins, each of which has a unique function. Our antibodies, enzymes, hormones, and muscles, are all made from protein. It is also used as an alternative source of energy when carbohydrate and fat levels are low.

Water

The importance of water cannot be overstated. Without it we wouldn’t exist. Our bodies are made up of over 70% water, our blood more than 80%, our brains more than 75%, and our livers almost 96%. Your body uses 2½ quarts of water per day, and in effect, the replacement water that you drink becomes you. The majority of enzymatic and chemical reactions that take place in our bodies are totally dependent on water, and it also acts as a transport medium, moving antibodies, hormones, and oxygen around our body systems. You should be looking to drink at least eight fluid ounces of water per day.

Getting the balance right

As you can see, getting the right amount and balance of nutrition on a daily basis is fundamental, not only for any holistic health lifestyle, but for our body functions and systems too. A nutrient deficiency will affect your body in one way or another – none of them good.

Seven Signs You have a Nutritional Deficiency:

Nutrient deficiency sign # 1 – Your nails

Although it is often said that white spots on your nails indicate a deficiency of zinc, this is not necessarily true. It is however an indication that the nail has undergone some sort of injury or trauma. If however you nail is thin, or has raised ridges, and/or curved inwards, this could be an indication that you are iron deficient, or anemic.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 2 – Leg cramps

Many people suffer from cramps in their legs and calves, especially at night time. This can be an indication that you have a potassium deficiency. If you are physically active during the day, and/or you go to the gym and exercise, you will lose fluids and electrolytes through perspiration. Rehydrating with water does not always replace all of the electrolytes that have dissipated, especially potassium. You can address this by eating certain foods that are rich in potassium, such as bananas, broccoli, grapefruit, and spinach.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 3 – Numbness in Hands and Feet

Some people experience a numbness in their hands and/or feet, thinking it may be a sign of diabetes. Whilst this can be true, it can also however indicate that you have a deficiency of certain B vitamins including B6, B12, plus folic acid. This is because low levels of certain B vitamins can affect the nerve endings in your skin. To help to combat this, you should include lots of dark leafy vegetables in your diet, such as spinach, collard greens, and dark cabbage, plus other lean proteins foods like eggs, legumes, poultry, and whole grains.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 4 – Skin inflammation

The appearance of small, red or white bumps in your skin can also be a sign that you are vitamin deficient. These bumps, (which look a little like acne), usually appear on people’s arms, faces, and thighs, and can be an indication that your reserves of vitamin A are too low. Vitamin A assists your pores to shed dead skin, which, if left in place can cause clogging which will promote the growth of acne bacteria. To replenish your levels of vitamin A, include plenty of colorful vegetables in your diet, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, plus some dark green leafy vegetables too. All of these are rich in beta-carotene, a substance which is known to be a precursor to vitamin A.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 5 – Feelings of anxiety and/or depression

The lack of certain vitamins (B6, B12, C and D), minerals, (calcium, chromium, iron, and selenium), and fatty acids, (Omega 3 and Omega 6), can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 6 – Fatigue and lack of energy

Fatigue is a problem for many people in today’s busy society. It can be brought about through being under constant stress, and also because you are not getting the correct amount of nutrition into your diet. Iron deficiency, or anemia, is a well-known cause of fatigue. But low energy can also be brought about by low levels of certain vitamins, including B1, B3, B11, B12, C, D, and H; and by being deficient in the minerals potassium and/or magnesium.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 7 – Poor immune system function

Being nutrient deficient can also lead to a drop in your immune system’s performance too. So if you are constantly having to fight off illnesses, it could down into a deficiency of the vitamins A, C, D and E; plus low levels of the minerals chromium, magnesium, selenium, and/or zinc.

Generalization

We’ve really only discussed nutrition deficiency in very general terms. For a blow by blow account of many symptoms and the particular nutrient deficiencies that apply.

The importance of a well balanced nutritional diet

Diet has never been more important than it is today. The pace and stress of life, and the abundance of fast, and processed foods, can easily mean that you are not eating a proper, healthy, well balanced diet, with all of the necessary nutrients for good body function and holistic health well-being. The signs outlined above may help you to identify specific deficiencies which you can then take the necessary steps to redress.

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

When your well-being suffers

What are the basic components of a healthy diet?

First of all, let’s take a look at what nutrition really means. What are its different elements and why are they so important? Basically there are 6 elements to nutrition:

• Carbohydrates

• Fat

• Minerals

• Protein

• Vitamins

• Water

Carbohydrates

Fats

Minerals

Minerals help your body to grow and develop and are divided into two groups; major minerals, and trace minerals.

The major minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. All of these are needed in large quantity.

Protein

Water

Getting the balance right

Seven Signs You have a Nutritional Deficiency:

Nutrient deficiency sign # 1 – Your nails

Nutrient deficiency sign # 2 – Leg cramps

Nutrient deficiency sign # 3 – Numbness in Hands and Feet

Nutrient deficiency sign # 4 – Skin inflammation

Nutrient deficiency sign # 5 – Feelings of anxiety and/or depression

The lack of certain vitamins (B6, B12, C and D), minerals, (calcium, chromium, iron, and selenium), and fatty acids, (Omega 3 and Omega 6), can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 6 – Fatigue and lack of energy

Nutrient deficiency sign # 7 – Poor immune system function

Generalization

We’ve really only discussed nutrition deficiency in very general terms. For a blow by blow account of many symptoms and the particular nutrient deficiencies that apply.

The importance of a well balanced nutritional diet

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

When your well-being suffers

What are the basic components of a healthy diet?

First of all, let’s take a look at what nutrition really means. What are its different elements and why are they so important? Basically there are 6 elements to nutrition:

• Carbohydrates

• Fat

• Minerals

• Protein

• Vitamins

• Water

Carbohydrates

Fats

Minerals

Minerals help your body to grow and develop and are divided into two groups; major minerals, and trace minerals.

The major minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. All of these are needed in large quantity.

Protein

Water

Getting the balance right

Seven Signs You have a Nutritional Deficiency:

Nutrient deficiency sign # 1 – Your nails

Nutrient deficiency sign # 2 – Leg cramps

Nutrient deficiency sign # 3 – Numbness in Hands and Feet

Nutrient deficiency sign # 4 – Skin inflammation

Nutrient deficiency sign # 5 – Feelings of anxiety and/or depression

The lack of certain vitamins (B6, B12, C and D), minerals, (calcium, chromium, iron, and selenium), and fatty acids, (Omega 3 and Omega 6), can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 6 – Fatigue and lack of energy

Nutrient deficiency sign # 7 – Poor immune system function

Generalization

We’ve really only discussed nutrition deficiency in very general terms. For a blow by blow account of many symptoms and the particular nutrient deficiencies that apply.

The importance of a well balanced nutritional diet

Heading 5

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi. For entertainment purposes only and not medical advise:

Just something to consider…

Spiritual Meanings Behind Physical Aches, Pain And Sickness

As many people in the spiritual world know, everything happens for a reason. It becomes a lot easier to understand why things happen when we can see it from a metaphysical perspective. The following is a reference list for physical aches, pains, and illnesses, along with what your body is trying to tell you.

HAIR (head)

SOCIAL ‘STATEMENT.’ The hair and how it is ‘worn’ or grown on the head is the most immediate personal statement made by individuals as to their preferred ROLE in life. Often used as a sexual attractant, the hairdo (like all other ‘parts’ of our whole Self-identity) can become HOLISTICALLY-ENFORCED through time; resulting in a physical ‘proof’ of one’s personal Statement.. as in the ‘tonsure’ or Franciscan-style skull-cap baldness tendency in (especially) men, who wish to cultivate a public ‘image’ of themselves as a peace-loving, kind ‘brother’ even though that image CONFLICTS with certain tendencies to the contrary. Hair loss may coincide with sudden changes in self-image, often due to traumatic experiences that challenge one’s previous self-Statement. GENETIC TENDENCIES must, naturally, be considered a significant factor.

SCALP

SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY. As the ‘highest’ actually ‘living’ tissue of the body, the scalp reflects CONTACT WITH HIGHER TRUTHS. Conflicts of religious opinion, philosophy or strong ‘psychic phenomena’ that are difficult to deal with may trigger a sympathetic development of skin-distress to the scalp.

SKIN

SOCIAL SENSITIVITY. Touch is the most potent form of interpersonal contact available to us; any traumatic or conflict-generating events in life may trigger a sympathetic reaction to the skin AT THE LOCATION ON THE BODY WHICH ‘DESCRIBES’ THE AREA OF STRESS. Whether eczema, rashes, boils or more serious skin-conditions, the holistic implication is that one’s inner sensitivities are being challenged or ‘outraged’ by events that require us to OVER-RIDE our normal responses, behaviours and feelings.

BRAIN & NERVOUS SYSTEM

INFORMATION-PROCESSING. While there are many other things that we value highly and rely upon in life, INFORMATION or ‘factual input’ and how we deal with it is a powerful influence in life. Anytime we are forced to deal with INFORMATION-OVERLOAD or CONFLICTING IDEAS ABOUT REALITY, we may experience a sympathetic response from our brain and nervous system which processes that information. From migraine headache to spinal meningitis or other brain-and-spinal conditions, Information-related crises require deep analysis of one’s Information-Conflicts and how to restore a sense of ORDERLY COMPREHENSION OF REALITY.

SKULL

PSYCHIC SELF-‘CONTAINMENT.‘ Our ability to BE OUR OWN UNIQUE TYPE OF PERSON is holistically centred in the bones of the skull. Trauma, injury or illness affecting this area indicates a difficulty ‘remaining who we are.’ The holistic suggestion is that one look at events or circumstances that may be FORCING CHANGE to the self-identity of the individual psyche, and seek ways to resolve the IDENTITY-stresses.

FACE

SHOWING ONE’S TRUE FEELINGS. ‘Expression’ or ‘the look on one’s face’ is subject to stress from any situation which limits our ability to fully EXPRESS our inner feelings. From having to conceal or ‘falsify’ our feelings, to having to ‘face’ strong opposition to those feelings from others, the face can experience a sympathetic response ranging from partial paralysis to inflammations, rashes, neurological ‘ticks’ or other abnormalities. Full, honest and stress-free SELF-EXPRESSION is, of course, the holistic ‘recommendation’ in all such situations.. though that often requires changes in the interpersonal ‘climate’ or lifestyle-situation.

EARS

GETTING THE ‘MESSAGE.’ Other people are constantly ‘telling’ us their feelings, needs and opinions. When we (for whatever reason) cannot or do not RECEIVE those feelings or give them credence, a sympathetic response may occur in the ears and auditory canal. From earache to tinitus (‘ringing in the ears’) or inner-ear infections or hearing-loss, such reactions indicate a ‘message-barrage’ that we are incapable of dealing with. A typical example would be the ‘input-overload ear-ache’ experienced by young children unaccustomed to school-room levels of ‘message-input’ from teachers, classmates and parents combined. While some hearing conditions do not respond to holistic improvements, in general it is recommended that a ‘break’ be taken in the message-input department while the stress is released. NOTE: some instances of auditory abnormalities are connected with unusual PSYCHIC STATES, including ‘spirit-communication.’

EYES

RECOGNIZING OBJECTIVE FACTS. ‘Seeing is Believing!’ We sometimes have to see and admit facts that we would prefer NOT to have to admit. Such conflicts between INNER ‘VISION’ and OBJECTIVE FACTS can cause a sympathetic response from the eyes and optical nerves.. leading to pain, impaired vision or other abnormalities. The holistic recommendation in such cases is to ADMIT THE TRUTH and find new ways to ‘see’ the future that are more realistic. NOTE: there are SOME things that we can see which challenge every conventional idea of ‘reality.’ Whether called hallucination, clairvoyance or ‘divine visions’ these events, too, can only be accepted and DEALT WITH as ‘in-SIGHT’ into the Self and it’s relation to a Reality which may be far stranger than any of us realize!

SINUSES

PSYCHIC SOUNDBOARDS; how we ‘register’ subliminal input from others. Human beings are not always completely ‘up-front’ with each other about their real feelings. Sometimes we are being sent one ‘message’ verbally, and quite another on a silent, emotional level. In such situations, the Sinus cavities in the face and skull can have a sympathetic response in the form of pressure, blockage and infection which informs us that we are receiving PSYCHIC INPUT in between people’s words. The holistic recommendation is CLEARING THE AIR through communication; asking others their feelings and expressing one’s own, until eventually one can ‘track-down’ the source of the pressure. NOTE: some extremely sensitive ‘psychics’ experience sinus-blockage as part of their telepathic and clairvoyant sensitivity, and only advanced psychic-development training can help them ‘track-down’ THOSE sources.

NOSE

TESTING THE AIR AROUND US. Mankind may be thousands of years away from the other animals in intellectual development, but we retain many animal-level senses and instincts that our ‘civilized’ lifestyles do not teach us to recognize. The sense of SMELL is one of those. Recognized as the most direct sensory pathway into the brain, Smell informs us on an instinctive or animal-level of our safety, social ‘welcome’ and natural association with others. When we attempt to over-ride this instinctive, unconscious knowledge, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of nose bleeding, blockage, pressure or other afflictions to the nasal cavity and linings. The holistic recommendation is greater PERSONAL SPACE, and the ability to surround ourselves with the people and other ‘smells’ that we ENJOY personally.

LIPS

THE SOCIAL INVITATION. No other part of the body so reflects our happiness or it’s absence as do the lips. Smiling or frowning, open with anticipation or trembling with emotion, the lips are almost a barometer of human feelings. When our feelings toward others is severely traumatized, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of cold sores, blisters, inflammations or other painful conditions.. or even impaired nerve control of the lips and mouth. The holistic recommendation is to ‘clear the air’ through honest communication, restoring the sense of social ‘desirability’ and permission to relate as we are inclined to do.

MOUTH, TEETH & GUMS

INCOME AND THE EARNING OF WEALTH. We truly live ‘hand to mouth,’ no matter how wealthy or removed from manual labor we may be.. for the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface ‘knows’ that all ‘income’ MEANS ‘food.’ When we are undergoing financial stress or change, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of pain, infections or other trauma to the teeth, gums or inner mouth regions. The holistic recommendation is Career-stress reduction, financial planning or other work-and-wealth related improvements designed to minimize or end the stress over ‘how to earn the food’ one needs.

NECK

KEEPING YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT! Structurally, the only real ‘meaning’ of the neck is that it holds our head on. Anytime one experiences a conflict between Ideals and Reality, the neck may experience a sympathetic response in the form of mis-aligned bones, nerve pain or difficulty moving or turning the head. The holistic recommendation is to find ways to narrow the gap between Idea and Fact; either making our Ideals more realistic or making our Reality more ideal.. or BOTH!, whatever it takes to remove the CONFLICT and ‘get your head on straight’ again.

THROAT & LARYNX

KEEPING IT IN OR GETTING IT OUT! The throat has the unique role of EITHER swallowing things (such as food and drink) or expressing things (such as words or song.) Sometimes, however, we get the two functions confused, and start ‘eating words’ (your own or someone else’s.) This can cause a sympathetic response in the throat; in the form of sore throat, laryngitis (loss of voice) or even difficulty with the swallow-reflex. The holistic recommendation is to decide whether one is ‘having something shoved down your throat’ or whether you are swallowing words that YOU really WANT to speak. In most cases, one or the other will be occurring, and merely deciding to change that pattern is enough to end the sympathetic reaction. NOTE: many throat stresses become severe enough to allow the development of virus-infections, requiring medical attention to fully correct it.

SHOULDERS

BEARING THE LOAD. The shoulders are the only part of the body which can carry a heavy weight for any great length of time. As such, they ‘mean’ exactly that to the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface. Anytime we experience stress or change to the burden-bearing part of our life.. such as too much responsibility at work, or a change in our work ‘load’.. we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of pain, loss of strength or nerve-conditions to the shoulder areas. The holistic recommendation is WORK-LOAD REDUCTION.. though that is easier said than done, in many cases. Often we feel we simply MUST ‘bear it’ because other cannot; and our condition may worsen instead of getting better from knowing why the problem began! However, since massage, heat, acupuncture, chiropractic care and other treatments can often reduce the pain of work-load stress, many people continue to overwork long after the body has advised them to stop it. Eventually, the body INSISTS!, and severe distress is it’s final word.

ARMS

REACHING OUT TO OTHERS. The ‘social Embrace’ or how we reach-out to other people depends on both US and THEM; problems reaching-out OR a difficult relationship either can traumatize us about RELATING, and a sympathetic response may occur that causes pain, weakness, numbness or other distress to the arms. The holistic recommendation is RELATIONSHIP COUNSEL; find the STRESS and REMOVE IT. Sometimes that means working on one’s OWN relating skills, while other situations may require work on our partners, co-workers or other important social contacts. The real focus must be; RELATING and RELATABILITY. The details will differ from case to case.

WRISTS

THE SOCIAL ‘POSE.’ Everyone (even those who think themselves completely ‘natural’ in their way of relating!,) has a ‘pose’ or ATTITUDE toward Relating; and this is visible in how one ‘postures’ the hand, using the WRISTS to position them. From ‘limp-wristed’ to ‘hand-fluttering’ to ‘stiff-armed’ we identify our Social Attitude to others, constantly. When any form of conflict or injury to our Social ‘Pose’ occurs, there may be a sympathetic response in the form of pain, inflamed joints, weakness or other abnormalities to the wrist. The holistic suggestion is to discover what the trauma WAS and CORRECT IT through re-building self-confidence and social ‘poise.’ Grace with strength might be a good motto for wrist-trauma healing; for we need BOTH in order to be both strong and flexible enough to remain ourselves in a world full of OTHER approaches to social contact.

HANDS & FINGERS

OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE. To the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface, our hands are our PROFESSION in life. Whatever we have ‘put our hands to’ as a career, our relationship to it is reflected in the strength and health of our hands and fingers. Any sudden trauma or change to our work-skills (such as a lay-off or job-transfer) can cause a sympathetic response in the form of pain, weakness or other distress to the hands. The holistic suggestion is that one should re-evaluate your professional skills and job-performance, seeking a less stressful or more enjoyable work for your hands to do. While this MAY involve career-change, it may also be a simple matter of Continuing Education or even shared work-duties, to free your hands for happier ’employment.’

RIBS & TORSO

ONE’S PERSONAL ‘BOUNDARIES.’ We each occupy ‘personal SPACE’ in life. Some need more, some less of it. But anytime we are being either ‘invaded’ or having our space taken away from us, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of injury, pain or other distress to the rib cage and surrounding muscles. The holistic recommendation is that you try to identify how (or whether) your personal Space is being altered by circumstances you cannot control.. and find ways to ADAPT to it if you cannot keep it from happening. In any case, setting WORKABLE ‘BOUNDARIES’ for your own territorial needs is the real issue.

THE INTERNAL ORGANS:

LUNGS

PERSONAL ‘BREATHING ROOM.’ Crowding or the over-pressurized emotions of living too closely-inter meshed with others from whom one cannot get enough distance to ‘be yourself’ can trigger a sympathetic response from the lungs and bronchial airway leading to asthmatic pressures, coughing, respiratory infections or other ailments. The holistic recommendation is for SPACE-CHANGE; restructuring one’s lifestyle to allow ‘Breathing Room’ and the permission to BE YOURSELF without constant stress from those around you. NOTE: if water-retention is involved (as in pneumonia or emphysema) a ‘Sympathy Crisis’ or excess of EMOTIONAL CONCERN for (or FROM!,) others is often involved.

HEART & ARTERIES

STAYING IN THE FLOW. We live our lives by COMMITMENT to the people, places and things we LOVE or ‘believe in.’ Anytime this ‘flow of life’ which we have committed-to becomes UN-TENABLE for us (and we MUST allow change in things we do not WANT to see change,) we may experience a sympathetic response from the Heart and it’s arteries.. leading to irregular heartbeat, abnormalities of blood-flow or ‘upheavals’ such as heart-attack. The holistic recommendation is for a thorough re-evaluation of your COMMITMENTS in life; from career to family, relationships to recreation.. seeking areas of commitment that are no longer SUPPORTABLE as a ‘happy FLOW’ in your life. Updating one’s commitments may reduce the stress to these vital life-sustaining tissues.

DIAPHRAGM/PERICARDIUM

THE ‘DRIVING FORCE’ OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE. Of the many human emotions, DESIRE is among the most central to our happiness. When we cannot get the things we desire, we may become angry, frustrated, depressed or lethargic.. and we may experience a sympathetic response from the great muscles which pump our lungs (the Diaphragm) or the muscle which pumps the Heart (the Pericardium;) leading to irregularities of heartbeat, blood-pressure, breath-control or circulation of blood throughout the body. The holistic recommendation is for an honest re-appraisal of one’s REAL DESIRES IN LIFE, seeking areas of personal affection that are missing, difficult to relax about or otherwise traumatic. The real issue is HAPPINESS; what is preventing that MUST be addressed, to restore a sense of contentment.

THE METABOLIC GLANDULAR SYSTEM

OBEYING THE AUTHORITIES THAT RULE US. We are each ‘ruled’ by whatever we consider ‘the Authority Structure’ in our lives. Whether the Law, our Spouse, Family, Traditions, Divine Authority or ‘destiny’ these Rulers literally DRIVE US to obey their wishes through deep psychological influences which govern the secretions of our endocrine or ductless gland system (most of which are located in the brain and torso;) leading to such problems as abnormal weight-conditions, energy-crises such as exhaustion or insomnia, and fluctuations in the body-temperature and other metabolic changes. The holistic recommendation is a re-evaluation of the things which ‘Rule’ you; seeking ways to either change them, relax about them or make them less stressful. A basic guideline is that NO ONE IS REALLY JUST A ‘SERVANT;’ and we do not have to spend our lives ‘obeying’ others. HAPPINESS rather than ‘duty’ is the key to healthy living.

THE LIVER

‘THE ONE LIVING INSIDE YOU.’ The Soul or Spirit may not be a ‘medically recognized’ organ, but it DOES have profound implications for our wellbeing. Anytime we become ‘dis-spirited,’ self-judgmental or in any other way SOUL-‘sick’ we may experience a sympathetic response from the inner organ which performs the same job for the body that the Soul does for the whole Self; the LIVER.. which purifies the body and stores-up the nutrients in our blood-stream for future use. Imbalances of Soul or Spirit can lead to blood-impurities, hardening or inflammations of the Liver and other potentially life-threatening conditions. The holistic recommendation is SPIRITUAL ‘HOUSE-CLEANING;’ finding the areas of self-judgement, guilt, shame or other spiritual crises, and ‘making Peace with one’s Spirit.’ NOTE: a strong connection between such judgements and out-worn religious fears is often part of liver-related conditions.

GALL BLADDER

CRITICAL ANALYSIS: The Ability To JUDGE WISELY. Bile (or Gall) is a powerful ‘analytic acid’ secreted by the Liver and stored in the adjoining Gall Bladder for later secretion into the digestive organs.. where it breaks-down (or ‘analyzes’) our food. Anytime we are under great stress to ‘analyze’ things accurately in our lives we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of DIGESTIVE-ACID IMBALANCES leading to under or over-acid stomach, indigestion, pain or inflammation of the gall bladder (or the development of ‘gall stones’ in the gall bladder.) The holistic recommendation is ACCURATE ANALYSIS OF THE STRESSES WE ARE UNDER. Often these will be found to be relationships or situations in which we have failed to be properly CRITICAL.. allowing less than honest opinions to be expressed, and thereby damaging our sense of FAIRNESS. Honest expression of one’s critical opinions and a full ‘venting’ of one’s feelings is recommended.

STOMACH

THE SATISFYING OF AMBITIONS. Our personal ‘appetite’ for food and our ability to ‘digest’ (or analyze) it properly is reflected in the primary digestive organ of the Stomach. Anytime we undergo change in our Ambitions (or ‘appetite for success’) in life, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of stomach distress. From nausea (the desire to reject our former ambitions) to lack of appetite (uncertainty about what we really WANT in life) or nervous stomach (anxiety about whether our ambitions will be successful) or even the development of stomach ulcers (over-emphasis on ‘success’ of our ambitions,) such imbalances imply AN AMBITION-CRISIS. The holistic recommendation is a thorough analysis of what you consider ‘success’ to be, and finding new ways to be HAPPY about your ‘success drive’ until you can again happily ‘stomach’ your life.

SMALL INTESTINE

SYSTEMATIC ATTAINMENT. The ability to plan-out and logically attain one’s goals through the ‘daily grind’ of WORK-EFFICIENCY is the natural follow-up to our ambitions.. having an exact mirror in the function of the Small Intestine into which our food passes from the Stomach, to be ‘ground-up’ and systematically reduced to useful elements. Anytime our ability to ‘grind ahead’ in attaining our goals is impaired, we may experience distress to this intestine, leading to cramping, burning, pain or bowel gas-buildups or other digestive problems. The holistic recommendation is for career and goal re-evaluation followed by streamlining of work-systems, logical problem-solving and efficiency-improvements.. until we can again turn the ‘daily grind’ into a sense of daily ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SPLEEN

NURTURING THE BLOODLINE. As our food is finally reduced to useable elements it is passed to the Spleen to be distributed to the body via the bloodstream.. which is a mirror-reflection of how the human FAMILY and HOME-LIFE caretake the individuals within it. Anytime we are having problems with DOMESTIC or FAMILY ‘NURTURE’ we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of poor food-assimilation or the inability to properly USE the nutrition we are taking-in.. leading to bloating, gas, diarrhea, exhaustion or pain in the mid-back and abdominal areas. The holistic recommendation is FAMILY or DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIP COUNSEL, directed at finding where the ‘Nurture’ or SUPPORT Crisis is in one’s life, and restore the sense of being ‘taken care of’ by the ‘bloodline’ or household.

PANCREAS & BLOOD-SUGAR LEVELS

PERSONAL ‘SWEETNESS.’ One of the primary nutrients of the body is Blood Sugar.. the most immediately-useable nutrient sent into the blood after digestion. This sugar is regulated by the Pancreas and it’s glands, which determine the LEVEL or AMOUNT of sugar in the blood. Anytime we are having difficult with our own INNER ‘sweetness’ as a person, we may experience a sympathetic response in the form of blood-sugar imbalances including hypoglycemia and diabetes. The holistic recommendation is a full review of the subject of personal ‘sweetness.’ Are you TOO ‘SWEET’ for your own good.. meaning incapable of expressing your angers, frustrations and personal needs? Or do you ‘bounce’ between ‘sweet’ and SOUR or BITTER as a personality? Such questions rightly answered may have some influence over blood-sugar levels; though genetic patterns may also have great influence over it as well.

LARGE INTESTINE / COLON / APPENDIX / RECTUM

LETTING GO OF THE PAST. Once we have digested our experiences in life, we need to RELEASE them, just as the body does with past food-intake. Anytime we have difficulty letting go of past experiences.. whether from guilt, attachment to the status-quo or other ‘anal-retentive’ tendencies.. we may experience a sympathetic response from the lower bowel, leading to pain, inflammation, bleeding or even rupture (or perforation) of the Colon and it’s Appendix. The holistic recommendation in for LIFE-CHANGE: allow yourself to let go of the situations (or, if need be, the relationships) which are no longer ‘right’ for you.. and (like yesterday’s food) ‘pass along’ the way. NOTE: refusal to let go when we know we really WANT TO can produce life-threatening situations. Caution and speedy resolution is needed.

KIDNEYS

HEALING THE BLOODLINE. Our ‘bloodline’ or genetic family or household is just as capable of having things to let go of as the individual body is. Whether old ‘traditions’ or such stresses as child (or parent) abuse, religious opinions that make happy relating impossible or other traumatic ‘legacies’ such problems may become intolerable and lead to a sympathetic response from the organs which perform the function of purifying the blood for the body.. the Kidneys; leading to infections, kidney stones or even kidney failure. The holistic recommendation is LETTING GO OF FAMILY-ENFORCED PATTERNS, beliefs or behaviors that one does not ‘agree’ with. While this may lead to interpersonal stresses of it’s own, such Self-liberation may have a healing effect on the Kidneys.. and you simply cannot LIVE without their help! The issue to remember is that ‘family traditions’ are only valuable if they are HEALTHY for all members of the bloodline.

BLADDER

RELEASING SOCIAL PRESSURES. Water, which forms the vast majority of our bodies, represents to the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface SHARED EMOTION. Anytime we are having difficulty getting our society to SHARE with us emotionally, we may experience a sympathetic response in difficulty releasing urine from the urinary bladder. On the other extreme, over-pressurized social situations may inflame the bladder and urinary tract, leading to incontinence (inability to control urination) or infections to the urinary tract. Sexually transmitted viruses (rightly called ‘social diseases’) are another indication of over-emphasis on RELATING within society. The holistic recommendation in all bladder complaints is RELEASE OF PRESSURE. Look for ways to RELAX about how society sees you and your way of fitting-into it.

THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

RE-CREATING LIFE. Regardless of our sexual gender, we each have the ability to ‘give life’ on an almost godlike level.. through sexual reproduction and OTHER acts of CREATIVITY. From the arts and music to social reform, there are many ways of Re-Creating Life; and ALL of them are symbolized to the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface as our Sexual Organs and their functions. While we can all see the reproductive ‘reason’ for sexual attraction between breeding pairs, we often overlook the fact that (holistically speaking) ALL SEXUAL DESIRE IS THE DESIRE TO ‘RE-CREATE’ LIVING PEOPLE. Anytime one is having any form of distress or dysfunction to the sexual organs, the holistic recommendation is to look-anew at your sexual DESIRES, trying to see them as a desire to RE-CREATE the people and sexual behaviors you are attracted-to.. for stress or dysfunction to the sexual organs holistically MEANS ‘CREATIVITY CRISIS.’ What you are here to ‘re-create’ and how your sexual nature fits into that is part of the puzzle you must solve! Look to Creativity for answers to any problem involving (in women) the uterus, vagina and ovaries.. and (in men) the penis, testes and prostate (all of which are part of the need to Re-Create Life through shared Sexual PLEASURE.)

THE SPINE

THE UPRIGHT ATTITUDE or Philosophy. How we ‘hold ourself upright’ as a person (our posture) ‘means’ to the Body/Mind/Spirit Interface SELF-OPINION.. which is determined by our basic Philosophy in life. Anytime we experience trauma to that philosophy or the self-esteem it gives us, we may experience a sympathetic change in the spinal bones.. leading to a wide array of pains, spasms, nerve-flow abnormalities and other problems. The holistic recommendation is Philosophic Review.. looking for any possible out-dated ideas about ourselves that the trauma points-out.. as well as any SELF-ESTEEM problems we may be having. NOTE: structural injuries are extremely difficult to correct without professional help! Chiropractic, Spinology, Yoga, Massage or Physical Therapy may be needed, as you address the inner issues of OPINION and SELF-ESTEEM that influence your ‘posture’ in life.

SAECRUM (BASE OF THE SPINE)

THAT WHICH IS ‘SACRED.’ At the very ‘foundation’ of one’s philosophy in life is SOMETHING that one holds ‘sacred’ or LIFE-GIVING. Whatever that happens to be for you (divinity by any name) influences your relationship with the base of the spine. Anytime one experiences anything that challenges or upsets one’s relationship with divinity, there may be a sympathetic response in the form of Saecral pain, bone-misalignment or other injury. The holistic recommendation is a reconnection with divinity by whatever means is possible; whether meditation training, spiritual development courses or even religious ‘rebirth’ if that is one’s opinion of divinity. The real issue is RE-ALIGNMENT WITH DIVINITY: the details must fit your own ideas or experience of what divinity IS.

HIPS

THE PACE OF ONE’S LIFE. The hips set the ‘pace’ or speed of our walking movements. Consequently anything that challenges or changes the pace of our life (anything from aging to sudden demands for faster progress) can cause trauma to the Hips. The holistic recommendation is re-evaluation of the ‘pace’ of our daily lives, with an eye to MORE SENSIBLE or MORE EFFECTIVE ‘pacing.’ Are you moving TOO fast for your own good.. running a bit too hard?.. or in need of a sudden ‘kick-start’ to get you moving faster? The hips will tell you CLEARLY! Listen to their advice, and they will normally return to ‘a happy pace’ on their own.

LEGS

‘SUPPORTING’ YOURSELF. The Legs are our primary ‘supports’ in life, and the way we ‘stand up’ for ourselves. As such, they reflect the Holistic ‘meaning’ of RIGHT LIVELIHOOD (or financial self-sufficiency) and other expressions of self-WORTH. Anything that distresses or changes our ability to Support ourselves can cause a sympathetic response in the form of pain, injury, strain or other problems with the Legs. The holistic recommendation is for SELF-SUPPORT (career or financial) PLANNING.. and changes to make self-support more viable for you. Also, if you are having difficulty in defending yourself against other points of view or authoritative personalities, self-confidence or even martial-arts training may be useful in healing Leg-related conditions.

KNEES

‘BOWING TO THE GREATER GOOD.’ Life often puts us in situations where, in order to serve what we see as the Greater Good (such as the needs of the family, company or society) we must ‘bend the knee’ and BUCKLE-DOWN to our ‘duty.’ Such situations can trigger a sympathetic response in the form of pain, nerve abnormalities or other problems with the Knees. The holistic recommendation is to EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS FULLY while going on with whatever you feel you MUST do for the Greater Good. This can give you the inner feeling of properly honoring your own best interests as well as those that are ‘greater’ than personal in importance. Long-term knee-stress would indicate a need for greater emphasis on the Self, and less on ‘duties’ that are obviously stress-producing for you.

ANKLES

CHANGING DIRECTIONS IN LIFE. No other part of our anatomy is so crucial to our DIRECTION OF WALKING as the Ankles are. Consequently any trauma or stress over which direction to proceed in (or conflict with others over directions you are jointly moving in together) can cause a sympathetic response in the form of pain, strain or injury to the Ankles. The holistic recommendation for all Ankle problems is a careful analysis of your LIFE-DIRECTIONS in every area from career to lifestyle, relationships to long-term plans.. and try to find any areas of CONFLICT with others in your immediate ‘support-group.’

FEET

TAKING A ‘STAND’ IN LIFE. We are deeply influenced by our relationships with others, and it is often difficult to make our own personal ‘stand’ on things known and respected by those we care about or work around. Anytime the stress this creates becomes more than we can ‘stand’ there may be sympathetic response in the form of pain, injury or other problems to the Feet, toes or toenails. The holistic recommendation in all such situations is to clearly define where you ‘stand’ on matters of importance at the time.. and get that recognized and validated by those around you. Look for any areas of CONFLICT between where you stand and the stand of others, for is is normally conflict that generates PAIN.

SOLES OF THE FEET

CONTACT WITH NATURE. The skin of our feet is our most constant contact with Mother Earth, and consequently the Soles carry all of the stresses we may have over contact with Nature. Injury or other problems to the Soles indicates a greater need for ‘naturalism’ in your lifestyle. Look for new ways to contact the Earth.. including gardening, hiking, swimming, etc… as ways to help comfort the Soles.

Grounding and earthing yourself has so many benefits it should be a daily occurance!

TYPES OF ILLNESS

ASTHMA: Ego-Pressure; personal Ego-desires are conflicting with one’s commitments to others

BLEEDING: Releasing Genetic History; letting go of past patterns inherited from one’s family or society

CANCER: Un-Natural Self Image; considering oneself ‘inhuman’ or WRONG in one’s (usually intimate relationship) Lifestyle

CHILLS, COLDNESS: In-Coming New Patterns; Evolutionary Inspiration underway

DIABETES: Sweetness Crisis; enforced ‘squelching’ of ANGER over long periods of time, usually family-enforced patterns

ECZEMA, Skin Rashes: Abrasion Crisis; having to tolerate unacceptable contacts or activities

EMPHYSEMA: Telepathic Overload; “drowning” in unexpressed interpersonal emotions toward oneself

FEVERS, INFECTIONS: Ego-Transcendence; releasing old patterns of self-identity and behavior

GOUT: Pampered Temper; a self-image in permanent ‘pout’

NUMBNESS, WEAKNESS: Avoidance Crisis; something is being ‘abdicated’ or denied

PAIN however caused: Inflamed Focus; a problem-area pointed-out

PALSY, uncontrollable SPASMS: Response Crisis; not knowing how to react to others or situations

PNEUMONIA: Depression Crisis; “drowning” in Self-Pity over things that cannot be ‘fixed’ except by forgiveness.

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Tai fit Chi: for entertainment purposes only. ©

Traditional Tai Chi is considered a miracle health exercise in China and Asia.

Benefits of our programme:

Repetition allows us to continually improve our movements, we should always be improving posture and poise, remembering to nasal breathe, tongue resting behind the top row of teeth, imagining a ball of energy flowing up our spine, along the top of our head, down our face and front of body circling like an energy field, also when we stand and do hug ball an energy going around our arms and across our chest, calming the mind, focusing on lower stances, with the continuity of the movements when we become very relaxed it is recommended to anchor the feeling and emotion you experience when you are in this safe zone, remember the experience so you can recall the feeling and emotion in times of stress etc when you need to soothe.

Walking with arms and hands star-bursting and wrist snap this improves balance, encourages blood flow, helps with joint pain. Wrist snap also encourages the “wringing/squeezing” of internal organs to help flush and encourage new blood flow, its good to focus on the internal organs when doing the gentle twists in both wrist snap and waist rolling.

Your back strengthens and reduction in back pain is often experienced, this is also due to lungs strengthening and giving the back more support.

Rolling shoulders gathers energy and self massages the upper body.

The Tummy rubbing in both directions aids digestion, this along with temple drum and heel stamps can help reduce indigestion, hiccups, heart burn, hangover symptoms, reflux and it helps drain the lymphatic gland system.

Its regularly said “heel stamps every day keep 100 ailments away!”

When possible try to have your hands crossed a couple of inches below your belly button, never interlock your fingers this reduces the ability to help yourself if you need balance correction, by keeping the hands at your “energy centre” this allows your inner balance to strengthen as when you wave your arms they balance instead of your core.

The spa style music we listen to is proven to help reduce anxiety by 65%, the forms and movements we do to the various tracks help keep the brain active and our Tai Fit Chi exercising programme has an anti-aging effect on the hippocampus region of the brain -- an area that controls memory, learning and balance. A new study (Science daily August 2017), comparing different forms of exercise -- dancing and endurance training -- undertaken by elderly volunteers for eighteen months, shows that both can have an anti-aging effect on the brain, but only dancing corresponded to a noticeable difference in behaviour. This difference is attributed to the extra challenge of learning dancing routines.

Cutting the mountains: self massages, helps strengthen neck muscles, from a mindful point of view its excellent to visualise chores and problems being eroded away.

Cloud hands and push wall has numerous health benefits and from a martial art point of view it helps balance, coordination and practice for blocking punches and kicks.

Hope your enjoying your Tai Fit Chi journey and don’t be surprised if you see benefits such as improved energy levels, bone density, better breathing, improved sleep patterns, digestion, cardiopulmonary effects, physical functioning, quality of life, self-efficacy, psychological symptoms and immune function.

No gain with pain so, listen to your body, it knows its limits.

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Tai Fit Chi: For entertainment purposes only: Not Medical Advice

Practicing Tai Chi helps improve respiratory function in patients with COPD

Tai Chi offers a low-cost, easily accessible alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation, according to a new study in the journal CHEST®

Glenview, IL, April 4, 2018 - Finding ways to help patients with COPD improve their functional status is an area of interest for pulmonary healthcare providers. Currently, pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is used where available to improve exercise capacity and quality of life, but the treatment requires access to trained staff and specialized facilities. A new study in the journal CHEST® looked at Tai Chi as a lower cost, more easily accessed treatment option. Investigators found that this slow, methodical form of exercise is equivalent to PR for improving respiratory function in patients with COPD.

Tai Chi, an ancient martial art that involves significant levels of physical exertion, is gaining popularity, especially among older people, across the globe. Originating in China, Tai Chi incorporates stretching, breathing, and coordinated movement and requires no special equipment. "Knowing the potential benefits of Tai Chi, we hypothesized that, in patients being treated with medication to manage their COPD symptoms, it could help improve the quality of life when compared to a course of classical western style PR," noted Professor Nan-Shan Zhong, MD, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou, China.

The study tracked 120 patients with COPD in rural China who had never used a bronchodilator. After beginning daily treatment with indacaterol, subjects were randomly assigned to groups receiving traditional PR or Tai Chi. Both the Tai Chi and PR groups showed similar improvements in Saint Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores, a standard measure of health status in patients with diseases causing airway obstruction. However, after twelve weeks, a clinically significant difference in SGRQ scores emerged favouring Tai Chi. Similar trends were noted in performance of a six-minute walk test.

"Tai Chi is an appropriate substitute for PR," explained lead investigator Professor Yuan-Ming Luo, PhD, also of the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease. "While neither training approach differed from the other by more than the minimal clinically important difference of four SGRQ points at the end of this 12-week study, an additional 12 weeks after discontinuation of formal training, improvements emerged in favor of Tai Chi in SGRQ score, six-minute walk distance, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, and quadriceps strength. We conclude that Tai Chi is equivalent to PR and may confer more sustained benefit."

Subjects in the Tai Chi group met for formal instruction five hours per week for 12 weeks and were taught the 24 form Yang style. The results of the Tai Chi group were compared to that of another group of subjects who received PR three times a week for 12 weeks. After the initial 12 weeks, participants were encouraged to continue their Tai Chi either alone or with a group in their community; however, no formal assistance was provided to patients during this period. Those in the PR group received verbal encouragement to remain as physically active as possible. Final analysis of all data was conducted 12 weeks after the formal training had concluded.

For many patients, reducing the symptoms of COPD can greatly improve their quality of life. While medication continues to play an important role in treating COPD, the cost of those medicines can be a barrier for some patients, especially for treating a chronic illness like COPD.

"This study demonstrates that a low-cost exercise intervention is equivalent to formal pulmonary rehabilitation, and this may enable a greater number of patients to be treated," concluded lead author of the study Michael I. Polkey, PhD, NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, The Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College, London, United Kingdom. "Physical activity is key to reducing symptoms in COPD. We do recommend PR, but our study shows that Tai Chi is a viable alternative when there is no local PR service. We encourage pulmonary rehabilitation providers to consider offering Tai Chi as an alternative therapy that patients would then be able to continue unsupervised in their own home."

Shake it up baby

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

Good vibrations:

Can a bit of shaking can burn fat & help combat diabetes?

It sounds like a crazy way to improve your health—spend some time on a platform that vibrates at about the same frequency as the lowest string on a double bass. But recent research indicates that the procedure, known as whole-body vibration, may be helpful in illnesses from cerebral palsy to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Now, a new study of obese mice reveals that whole-body vibration provides similar metabolic benefits as walking on a treadmill, suggesting it may be useful for treating obesity and type II diabetes.

“I think it’s very promising,” says exercise physiologist Lee Brown of the California State University in Fullerton, who wasn’t connected to the study. Although the effects are small, he says, researchers should follow-up to determine whether they can duplicate them in humans.

Plenty of gyms feature whole-body vibration machines, and many athletes swear the activity improves their performance. The jiggling does seem to spur muscles to work harder, possibly triggering some of the same effects as exercise. But researchers still don’t know how the two compare, especially when it comes to people who are ill. So biomedical engineer Meghan McGee-Lawrence of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and colleagues decided to perform a head-to-head comparison of exercise and whole-body vibration.

The researchers tested mutant mice resistant to the appetite-controlling hormone leptin, resulting in obesity and diabetes. McGee-Lawrence and colleagues divided their animals into three groups. One group lived in cages on a platform that shook gently for 20 minutes each day, subjecting the animals to whole-body vibration. The second group scurried on a treadmill for 45 minutes per day, whereas animals in the control group could laze about to their hearts’ content.

After 12 weeks, the researchers found that exercise and whole-body vibration provided comparable health benefits. All three groups of mice gained weight during the study, but those in the exercising and shaken groups put on slightly less than the indolent rodents. They also had less fat and thicker leg muscles.

What’s more, mice in the two “active” groups showed signs of a healthier metabolism. People who are obese often have abnormally high levels of insulin but are resistant to its effects. Whole-body vibration and exercise reduced insulin levels by similar amounts in the mice and increased their responsiveness to the hormone, the scientists report online today in Endocrinology. And the team detected another positive effect. In patients who are obese or have type II diabetes, fat often accumulates in the liver, sometimes leading to organ malfunction and even death. But the mice that worked out on the treadmill or lived in the vibrating cages harbored about one-third as much fat in the liver as did the control rodents.

One area in which the shaking didn’t seem to help was skeletal health. Putting the skeleton under stress typically stimulates bones to reinforce themselves. But whole-body vibration didn’t strengthen the animals’ bones or increase their bone density. “Overall, the mice had poor skeletal health, and the interventions we tried did not reverse that,” says McGee-Lawrence. She notes, however, that the researchers did detect increased levels of osteocalcin, a hormone that indicates bone formation. That could mean that a longer study might uncover skeletal benefits that hadn’t appeared after only 12 weeks, she says.

But couch potatoes might not want to launch into a La-Z-Boy workout routine just yet. Whole-body vibration doesn’t provide the cardiovascular or respiratory benefits of physical activity, Brown notes, and “it’s not going to replace exercise.” McGee-Lawrence agrees, but adds that it could be an option for the many people who can’t work out because of time limitations or poor health. “The fact that whole-body vibration might be an alternative is pretty exciting,” McGee-Lawrence says. The next step, she says, is adapting the shaking regimen for human patients.

Enough

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the daughter's departure had been announced. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said:"I love you and I wish you enough."The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom." They kissed and the daughter left.The mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?""I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?" She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory,"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."She then began to cry and walked away.They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

Mistakes

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only.

Mistakes

I hope that in this year to come, if you happen to make a mistake, learn from it, let yourself off the hook and have another go.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before.

Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.

Well worth a read...

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

Two Choices:

What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line,

there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the

same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children

with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a

speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After

extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences,

everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.

He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was

mentally and physically disabled comes into the world,

an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself,

and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing

baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most

of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father

I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a

much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others

in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play.

The boy looked around for guidance and said,

'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he

can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a

team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart.

The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored

a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and

played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously

ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear

as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again..

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on

base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win

the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but

impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much

less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the

other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few

steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards

Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball

right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have

easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end

of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first

baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling,

'Shay,

run to first!

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,

gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right

fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first

chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the

tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too,

intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead

of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way

Shay'

Shay reached third base because the

opposing shortstop ran to help him by

turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted,

'Run to third!

Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the

spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run

home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as

the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now

rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true

love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that

winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming

home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:

We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought,

but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate.

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through

cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in

our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're

probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the

'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message

Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference.

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to

help realize the 'natural order of things.'

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people

present us with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those

opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in

the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it

treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

You now have two choices:

1. Delete

2. Forward

May your day, be a Shay Day.

Heading 5

Something to consider

The telephone rang. It was a call from his mother. He answered it and his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered.

Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture...Jack stopped suddenly...

"What'swrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.

"I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack went to the post office and retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope.

Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filled his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! -- Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was my time!"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.*

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away."

Think about this. You may not realize it, but it's 100 percent true.

1. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

2. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

3. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

4. You mean the world to someone.

5. If not for you, someone may not be living.

6. You are special and unique.

7. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you trust God to do what's best, and wait on His time, sooner or later, you will get it or something better.

8. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it.

9. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.

10. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

12. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know and you'll both be happy.

13. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

Share this letter with all the people you care about. In doing so, you will certainly brighten someone's day and might change their perspective on life...for the better.

To everyone who read this just now...."Thanks for your time."

Air ration

How to get high on your own supply:

1. Get comfy - take a position most comfortable and safe to you (sitting or lying on the ground!). Ensure you can expand your lungs freely without any constriction.

2. Breathe - Breathe in 30 power breaths. Pretend you're blowing up a balloon. Inhale through the nose/mouth, and exhale through the mouth in short but powerful bursts. Keep a steady pace, use your midriff fully, and close your eyes.

3. Hold up - After 30 rapid successions, breathe in once more and fill the lungs to maximum capacity without force. Breathe out for as long as you can without force. Hold your breath until you experience the gasp reflex.

4. Recover - Inhale to full capacity. Feel your chest expanding. When you're at full capacity, hold the breath for around 10 seconds - this indicates round one. The breathing exercise can be repeated 3 rounds after one another.

5. Enjoy - After completing the breathing exercise, ensure you enjoy the feeling afterward. This feeling will increasingly be like meditation.

Our Blog

An ongoing series of informational entries

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

Taken from: https://www.evidenceforlearning.net/recoverycurriculum/

For some, the loss of freedom is constraining. What teenager wants to be with their parents 24 hours a day? Frankly they are not cool! Their whole self-image, self-esteem, and self-concept, is located in the interaction and dynamics of a peer group. They cannot test their emerging self, against the rules and routines of family life and to be taught by a parent who clearly knows nothing, (what teen acknowledges parental skills?) is to them an insult!

As one student said, “I was preparing to run a marathon, but now they tell me there is no race!” Many would think that the removal of examinations would be a matter of joy for most young people facing a gruelling timetable of examinations. But these are rites of passage; they are integral to how that young person shapes their ambitions for their life. What impact will it have on students to give their all to examinations next time around?

Lever 1: Relationships – we can’t expect our students to return joyfully, and many of the relationships that were thriving, may need to be invested in and restored. We need to plan for this to happen, not assume that it will. Reach out to greet them, use the relationships we build to cushion the discomfort of returning.

Lever 2: Community – we must recognise that curriculum will have been based in the community for a long period of time. We need to listen to what has happened in this time, understand the needs of our community and engage them in the transitioning of learning back into school.

Lever 3: Transparent Curriculum – all of our students will feel like they have lost time in learning and we must show them how we are addressing these gaps, consulting and co-constructing with our students to heal this sense of loss.

Lever 4: Metacognition – in different environments, students will have been learning in different ways. It is vital that we make the skills for learning in a school environment explicit to our students to reskill and rebuild their confidence as learners.

Lever 5: Space – to be, to rediscover self, and to find their voice on learning in this issue. It is only natural that we all work at an incredible pace to make sure this group of learners are not disadvantaged against their peers, providing opportunity and exploration alongside the intensity of our expectations.

TEENAGERS ARE LOSING OUT IN RITES OF PASSAGES:

exams, relationships, dating, independent time to socialise out of the home and even earning money...

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

When your well-being suffers

What are the basic components of a healthy diet?

First of all, let’s take a look at what nutrition really means. What are its different elements and why are they so important? Basically there are 6 elements to nutrition:

• Carbohydrates

• Fat

• Minerals

• Protein

• Vitamins

• Water

Carbohydrates

Fats

Minerals

Minerals help your body to grow and develop and are divided into two groups; major minerals, and trace minerals.

The major minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. All of these are needed in large quantity.

Protein

Water

Getting the balance right

Seven Signs You have a Nutritional Deficiency:

Nutrient deficiency sign # 1 – Your nails

Nutrient deficiency sign # 2 – Leg cramps

Nutrient deficiency sign # 3 – Numbness in Hands and Feet

Nutrient deficiency sign # 4 – Skin inflammation

Nutrient deficiency sign # 5 – Feelings of anxiety and/or depression

The lack of certain vitamins (B6, B12, C and D), minerals, (calcium, chromium, iron, and selenium), and fatty acids, (Omega 3 and Omega 6), can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 6 – Fatigue and lack of energy

Nutrient deficiency sign # 7 – Poor immune system function

Generalization

We’ve really only discussed nutrition deficiency in very general terms. For a blow by blow account of many symptoms and the particular nutrient deficiencies that apply.

The importance of a well balanced nutritional diet

Our Latest Blog Entry

Tai Fit Chi

for entertainment purposes only, not medical advice.

When your well-being suffers

What are the basic components of a healthy diet?

First of all, let’s take a look at what nutrition really means. What are its different elements and why are they so important? Basically there are 6 elements to nutrition:

• Carbohydrates

• Fat

• Minerals

• Protein

• Vitamins

• Water

Carbohydrates

Fats

Minerals

Minerals help your body to grow and develop and are divided into two groups; major minerals, and trace minerals.

The major minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. All of these are needed in large quantity.

Protein

Water

Getting the balance right

Seven Signs You have a Nutritional Deficiency:

Nutrient deficiency sign # 1 – Your nails

Nutrient deficiency sign # 2 – Leg cramps

Nutrient deficiency sign # 3 – Numbness in Hands and Feet

Nutrient deficiency sign # 4 – Skin inflammation

Nutrient deficiency sign # 5 – Feelings of anxiety and/or depression

The lack of certain vitamins (B6, B12, C and D), minerals, (calcium, chromium, iron, and selenium), and fatty acids, (Omega 3 and Omega 6), can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.

Nutrient deficiency sign # 6 – Fatigue and lack of energy

Nutrient deficiency sign # 7 – Poor immune system function

Generalization

We’ve really only discussed nutrition deficiency in very general terms. For a blow by blow account of many symptoms and the particular nutrient deficiencies that apply.

The importance of a well balanced nutritional diet