Are You Absorbing Oils and Fats?

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Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor and this article should not replace professional medical care

Most people have heard how important it is to have good oils and fats in their diet.  It is widely accepted that oils are imperative for:

• Brain and Organ Function
• Hormone Health
• Healthy Skin, Eyes and Bones
• Proper Metabolism
• Mood Stabilization
• Energy
• Reproductive Health

The problem is that most people think that if they are taking a supplement or eating foods high in oil then they are getting what they need.  Unfortunately many people do not absorb oils and fat properly.  If this is true for you, then no matter how much oil supplementation you do, your body simply can't use the oil.

I have given many lymphatic massages in the last 15 years.  Each year, more and more clients come to me in despair.  Some just have a feeling that something is wrong with their health but their physicians can't find anything.  Others, have auto-immune illness and are trying to find ways to feel better.

When I touch healthy clients there is a different feel to their skin and muscle tone then clients with auto-immune type problems.  I am starting to believe that people with these types of illnesses are simply not absorbing oils properly.

In the 1950's, Dr Budwig, a cancer doctor in Europe, noticed that her patients were not absorbing oils and hypothesized that this was a crucial factor in their developing cancer.  She developed a diet that included her own unique concoction, designed to deliver flax seed to the body instantly.  She reports that many people with tumors and degenerative disease have been radically helped by this diet.

Recently I have had several clients with chronic health issues try the Budwig concoction and I am starting to see improvement in overall health when this is eaten on a fairly regular basis.  Regularity is important as it can take some time to get the body balanced after severe deprivation.

Here is the recipe for the Budwig concoction, or as she calls it, muesli.

I personally add a scoop of Trader Joe's powdered Super Green drink to mine.  The green makes it look less than appetizing but the combination seems to really increase my overall energy levels

Also this recipe has many substitution options which I am not listing but should be easy enough to find with an online search.

Customized Cottage Cheese Flax Seed Oil Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 TB Spoons Organic Flax Seed Oil
6 TB Spoons Organic Cottage Cheese (Do not use nonfat.  I use low fat)
2 TB Spoons Fresh Ground Organic Flax Seeds
Non Sugar Flavoring to hide the taste of of the Flax Seed

Directions:
Using an immersion hand-held blender(a stick-shaped mixer)blend the cottage cheese with the flax seed oil until the oil is no longer separated.

Grind the flax seeds in a coffee grinder and add to the mixture.  (Flax seeds must be used within 20 minutes after grinding or they start to breakdown.)

Add your flavoring.

Add one scoop of Trader Joe's powdered Super Green Drink*  Mix well.

*The Super Green Drink is optional but if you are not absorbing oils, chances are that you are not absorbing many nutrients.  This green drink tastes good and is a great way to get your nutrients.

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©Jan Olds, EssentialStillpoint

Why Does My Back Hurt?

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In my experience I would say that the biggest factor in back pain is that your shoulders can rotate almost 360 degrees. There are a lot of moving parts in that motion. If anything gets caught or pulled tight it will start to pull on the back and rib cage. Add to that tightening of the jaw, front of the neck and pectorals and things get pretty locked down. If your hips pull on your back in the opposite direction of the shoulder, it can cause a tightening that can lead to major distress.

What happens if you have any or all of the above scenarios and you fall down...or reach for something...or sleep wrong? All of your muscles are attached to bones. In the upper body many of these are attached to the rib cage. When you are tight and your body is pulling in opposite directions even a simple sneeze can pull a rib out of its proper alignment.

This rib misalignment can cause sharp pain by itself but as long as the rib stays out of whack it will cause that part of the lymphatic system to back up and get stuck. This commonly results in a stiffening and pain in the neck that can't be resolved until the rib goes back into place.

If you have ever reached for something and felt a sharp pain followed by your back or neck "not feeling quite right" or all of a sudden just noticed a weird tightness in your arms or neck that wasn't there before, you may have pulled a rib out.

If you are loose enough, sometimes a rib will go back in on it's own in time or you may be able to get it to go back in with some stretching or yoga. On the other hand, I have had clients that I suspect have had a rib out for several years.

When you hear that you may have a rib out, you might naturally think a trip to the chiropractor is in order. If you go to the traditional bone cracker, odds are this issue won't resolve. What needs to happen first is a loosening up of all the major tethering points or muscle attachments pulling opposite directions.

Draining the lymph is useful in the loosening process because what is sure to accompany the tightness is a build up of lymph fluid which can make the area more sore and deep work quite painful.

It took me years to know to look for a misaligned rib. If you have back pain and suspect you may have a rib out it would be worth your time to find a massage therapist in your area with the experience to release the areas binding the rib. Once you find somebody, often simple stretching after the work is enough for the rib to move back into place. If not, setting a chiropractic appointment for after the massage session will greatly increase the success of realignment.

Although many chiropractors now employ massage therapists, in many cases either the therapist doesn't have the experience or the sessions are just too short to do more than get the fluid moving and to warm up the muscles.

If you are in the Salt Lake area feel free to contact me for more information. If I can't see you, I can make a reliable referral.

If you are not local and would like more information on how to find someone who has the experience to help, you are welcome to leave a comment or send me a private email and I will try to offer some useful suggestions.

To Contact Lymph Massage of Salt Lake Click Here

copyright © 2010 Essential Stillpoint

What's the Difference Between Lymphatic Massage and Lymph Drainage Therapy(LDT)?

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On a first session with a new client I typically give them what I refer to as the Lymph lecture. It is a simplistic description of how the lymph system works, why it is important and how it directly relates to pain, malaise and other illnesses.

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When I first started doing this years ago, less than 1% had any working knowledge of the lymphatic system. I am happy to report that those numbers have been increasing. People who are educated on the lymph system are still a dismally small number but it is promising that, at least in my practice, t

his number is on a steady rise.

So what is the difference between Lymphatic Massage and Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT)? My primary massage practice is in Salt Lake City, Utah and in this state most of the people trained in lymphatic work have been trained in a technique that calls itself Lymph Drainage Therapy (a therapy developed by French doctor Bruno Chikley.) This is an uber light technique that helps to move fluid with the slightest pressure (5 grams or the weight of a nickel.)

LDT is based on a premise that the lymph cells will rupture with more than 5 grams of pressure and regenerate within 24 hours. I don't believe this is true. In my experience, when someone has severe lymphedema it is possible to rupture the lymph cells with too much pressure but the amount of pressure it takes to burst these cells is variable based on multiple factors. It may be 5 grams but not necessarily.

Severe Lymphedema (Light Pressure)

There is always an optimum pressure and finding that requires the therapist to have a finally developed sense of touch and sensitivity to their client's body.

For healthy people 5 grams will not rupture the lymph cell. When someone is extremely ill or has the most severe form of lymphedema...the almost imperceptible touch of LDT can be quite healing and do wonders for an overtaxed parasympathetic system.

For anyone who is healthy, moderately ill or has the kind of lymphedema caused by a mastectomy or adolescent onset...Lymphatic Massage is often the more effective and satisfying choice.

Moderate Lymphedema (Variable Pressure)

In Lymphatic massage...the lymph fluid is still being drained and depending on the expertise of the therapist there is potential for a much bigger release of toxins than in LDT. For a very ill person...too many toxins released at the same time can send them into a downward spin that can be challenging to overcome.
However, in the moderately ill to healthy person, releasing as many toxins as possible is desirable.

I do occasionally use LDT when the circumstance is warranted...but in my experience Lymph Massage is typically by far more effective and satisfying.

For those of you that have had both the uber light LDT and Lymph Massage (usually not by the same therapist), how do you notice the difference?

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This article should not be a substitute for professional medical care

copyright © 2010 Essential Stillpoint