Did you manage to remain active during lockdown?

 

 

Related Posts

  • Does reflexology improve quality of life at end of life?

    With a 50% chance of a cancer diagnosis and a 50% chance of surviving cancer, cancer will touch all our lives. Cancer Research statistics

    • 1 in 2 people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.
    • 50% survive cancer for 10 or more years.
    While cancer survival rates are on the way up, unfortunately people still die of cancer. I want to share the details of a small randomised control trial of reflexology for cancer patients during the end of life stage of cancer.  The study showed reflexology improved the quality of life for patients in 16 areas,  the greatest improvements were in:
    1. appetite
    2. breathing
    3. constipation & diarrhea
    4. fears of the future
    5. pain
    6. nausea
    7. sleep
    8. communication
    9. tiredness
    Urination & mood improved equally in the patients in the group receive reflexology and the placebo group who received a foot massage. This study shows reflexology can be helpful in improving quality of life for cancer patients during the difficult end of life stage. Reference: Hodgeson, N.  Nursing Standard - London, 14(31), pp. 33–38.  

  • So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 2

    Previously I explained the scientific theory for  "How does massage reduce muscle pain?" in the short term .  But what about the long term? I would like to introduce to you the "descending pain suppression mechanism." The brain is not a passive receiver of sensory messages, but rather a centre that interprets them and makes constant adjustments accordingly. For example, everyone knows that the way you perceive pain will be influenced by whether you focus on it or think of something else instead. And it seems reasonable to suppose that evolutionary selection may have favoured those individuals who could ignore pain signals for long enough to take actions that let them escape and survive danger.

    Unpleasant cutaneous sensations stimulate nuclei within the mid brain.  These nuclei in turn initiate activity in the descending spinal tracts that release endogenous opiates (inhibitory neurotransmitters) within the spinal segment receiving the painful input.  This diminishes the intensity of the pain transmitted to the higher centres. Sports and Deep Tissue massage techniques can reinforce a naturally occurring discomfort, causing much greater release of opiates and achieve a more profound pain suppression.

    References Basbaum A, Fields H.  (1978) Endogenous pain control mechanisms: review and hypothesis.  Ann Neurol 4: 451-2. Watson J (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review.  3. Endogenous pain mechanisms.  Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 27: 135-43

  • Can you eliminate the risk of a “preemie” baby?

    The focus of all pregnant women is a happy, health, baby and that includes carrying the baby full term obviously if there is no risk to the mother's health. Women in the US and the rest of the developed world are typically low in DHA (omega-3), with levels well below those reported in countries like Japan where more fish is eaten.  Women with low levels of the nutrient are much more likely to give birth prematurely.  Until recently there was no effective method to prevent spontaneous early preterm birth. Analyses of two clinical trials -- one in the U.S. and the other in the Australia -- suggest that thousands of early preterm births -- those at or before 34 weeks' gestation -- could be prevented if pregnant women took daily omega-3 supplements.  Taking the supplement can reduce the risk to just 1.5%.  Researchers estimated that more than 106,000 high-risk early preterm births could be avoided in the U.S. and about 1,100 could be prevented in Australia each year if pregnant women took daily supplements of omega-3. Reference https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161013130104.htm