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The medical world begins to acknowledge fascia

When we think of research on pain and how it manifests within the physiology of the human body, myofascial tissues have been a persistently understudied part of the picture.

The following is from Dr. Helene Langevin, M.D., Directorof the National Centre for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) in the U.S. ” Myofascial tissues are potentially involved in nearly all common chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions, like chronic low-back pain, neck and shoulder pain, headache, and temporomandibular disorders. But our understanding of myofascial pain is severely hampered by a basic lack of tools to differentiate between normal and abnormal myofascial tissues. “

While this is a promising advancement in the relationship of chemical and surgery medicine with mind-body medicine, the medical world needs help with the language and basic understanding about fascia and connective tissues. Thousands of practitioners and their clients around the world have known about (and for thousands of years) taught about fascia before a research lab or test-tube told us anything. Fascia is a continuum, a system, it houses your sensorial nerve endings, it is the organ of being and gives you sentience. It is fluid, and hence, will change with pressure and tension and movement so there is nothing “abnormal” about it. This kind of cartesian dualism thinking is not going to work when understanding fascia. It is my hope that the NCCIH includes fascial researchers like Dr. Robert Schleip, John Sharkey, and Sue Hitzmann, integral anatomists like Gil Hedley, and Pilates, ELDOA, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, some yoga, and MELT Method teachers and their clients as well.

Fall Session – BEGINNER

BEGiNNER REFORMER

Mondays 6:45 pm

YOUTH Pilates Tuesdays 4 pm

Tuesdays 5:15 pm

Wednesdays 7:30 pm

Plus Size Thursdays 11:45 am

Saturday 12:45 pm

ELDOA

Thursdays 6:30

Join us!

Youth Pilates starts Oct 4 at 4 pm

LUNGtivity Program starts Sept 14

LUNGtivity is a gentle exercise program for those with COPD, emphysema, Long COVID and other lung ailments. A small group, community based, 8 week program for $10 per class. Starts Wed Sept 14, 11:45-12:45. Classes take place at Pilates Manitoba, 836A Corydon.

This program was developed in collaboration with The Wellness Institute, Manitoba Fitness Council and the Manitoba Lung Association. Space is limited. Assessment and screening done on the phone so call to discuss needs and goals. You do not need a doctor’s prescription or referral.

60 min class with warm-up, gentle cardio, stretching, cooldown and meditation. Can be done in a chair. Space is limited. DM or text me 204.999.9984.

Please share this information with anyone who may benefit from this program.

#lungtivity#manitobalungassociation#breathing#COPD#emphysema#LongCovid#classes#exercises#healthcare#equitablehealthcare#socialjustice#healthequity#pulmonaryrehab

BEGINNER Pilates starts Sept 7

Join us Wednesdays 7:30 pm, Sundays 9:30 am, Tuesdays 5:15 pm for Pilates Beginner level

Plus Size (self- -identified) Pilates Thursdays 11:45 am – 12:45 pm

ELDOA (deep postural stretches) Thursdays 6:30 pm

The Emerging World of Fascia Relief

One of the body’s unsung heroes is fascia, a thin casing of connective tissue that holds every organ, bone, blood vessel, and muscle in place. Intricately connected to fitness performance and recovery, fascia can lead to chronic pain and areas of rigidity without proper care. With people learning more about the importance of proper fascia care, studios, gyms, and individual practitioners have begun offering tips and practices in their space. Join us at MELT Method Winnipeg …we are trained in all levels of the MELT Method.

Winnipeg’s only MELT Method, MELTed Pilates and MELTed Yoga facility, for medical professionals and exercisers

What is MELT?


The MELT Method is a science-backed self-care technique that anyone can use to stay active, enhance performance, and get out (and stay out) of pain.

The restoration happens through rehydration—improving fluid flow throughout the connective tissue system called fascia. With gentle techniques, we help restore fascia’s supportive, supple qualities and release unwanted compression and tension that leads to imbalance and misalignment, and chronic pain.

While we have you here, here’s what MELT is not:
-It’s not exercise or a workout replacement
-It’s not stretching,
and (even though we’re technically assisted by soft foam rollers)
It’s not your typical foam rolling.

We think of it as Hands-Off Bodywork—it’s a technique that empowers you with the ability to treat yourself like a skilled, hands-on therapist. We think of it as an antidote to the high-pressure, high-stress, fast-paced lifestyles most people live today and the over-compression and dehydration caused at gyms, where workouts deplete fascial hydration so the rate of dehydration constantly outstrips the rate of rehydration.

MELT is a step-by-step form of gentle and easy neural development or re-pattering exercises using special rollers and little balls for your feet and hands and face.

Discover how you can reap the many benefits of the MELT Method,  helping your autopilot reconnect to your centre of gravity, improving breathing, and activating your restore regulators.

Yes, Pilates is as great as everyone says!

Pilates is a form of mind-body exercise that is based on slow, flowing, and rhythmical movements, that can help you function better in your everyday life. For example, it can help improve your balance and muscle tone while fostering a calm, focused clarity of thought. It’s often called meditation in motion.

It is becoming widely recognized as one of the most powerful ways to improve both physical and mental health. A Pilates practice can help your health with:
Better Balance making you less likely to fall, and thus cut your risk of injury in halfPain Relief: significant relief from back, neck, arthritis, and fibromyalgia painA Sharper Mind: It’s shown to help reduce age-related cognitive decline … and even slow dementia!Better Heart Health: may reduce your chances of developing heart disease — even if you have risk factorsImproved Mood: greatly improved mood and lowered anxiety. It’s also an effective treatment for depressionLess Stress: Learn the secret to taking deep, calming breaths and reduce anxiety and depression

To show you how easy Pilates can be and how you can reap the many health benefits, get ready to try our Introduction to Pilates coming Fall 2022

  • Techniques that help improve balance, flexibility, strength, and coordination
  • Why Pilates may be the perfect way to relieve migraines and fight osteoporosis, MS, IBS, or fibromyalgia
  • The amazing way Pilates can undo the harmful effects of stress
  • Relaxing breathing techniques you can practice anywhere so you can stay calm and release tension

Why not give Pilates a try and see how it can help your health?

Article in the New York Times about how great Pilates is!

Fascial First Aid

MELT is a step-by-step form of gentle and easy neural development or re-pattering exercises using special rollers and little balls for your feet and hands and face. It hydrates the fascia and connective tissue that dehydrates when you get sick, sit for too long in one posture or workout for too long in one way. It is easy to do and feels great.

Discover how you can reap the many benefits of the MELT Method,  helping your autopilot reconnect to your centre of gravity, improving breathing, and activating your restore regulators.

And it is all through hydration of the cells. Water is the elixir of life. We all know how relaxing or invigorating water feels on our bodies – a nice warm bath or a dip in the sea to cool off.

Even being physically near to water and hearing it swirl or gently ripple soothes our brains. The real challenge we humans have is drinking enough of it. Life can just get in the way and you easily forget to drink if you’re juggling a million and one jobs at work or at home.

Drinking enough water is vital for your health and wellbeing. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated and this can affect all sorts of functions in the body and the brain.

Sometimes, the body gives you a little signal to rehydrate even before you feel thirsty, but us humans are not very good at reading signals and so a little reminder can really help. If you’re getting tired, grouchy or just feel off, the first thing you need to do is drink a large glass of water. Rehydrating helps you to destress and pausing to drink can also help you to reset mentally.

“Why” of water can make it easier to find ways to drink more.

Intuitively most of us know that water is essential for our health, but why?

Your body is about 60% water and you need to be hydrated for so many important functions. Not only that, but your wellbeing is affected by how hydrated you are and being properly hydrated can improve your health.

Let’s consider a few examples:

Brain health – dehydration will negatively impact focus and memory and can cause ‘brain fog’. When your neurons detect dehydration, they also signal the part of your brain regulating mood. Disturbances like tension, depression, fatigue, vigour, confusion, anxiety and anger are improved when you rehydrate. Consider them a warning signal prompting you to drink up! Regular hydration also aids the production of melatonin in the brain which helps you to sleep.

Digestive health – water helps to create saliva which you need to break down food and kick start digestion; it also helps with nutrient absorption by dissolving the nutrients in the food. Water helps you to produce a healthy stool and avoid constipation.

Immune health – water helps to oxygenate your blood which means that your cells can work at full capacity, which in turn keeps your muscles and organs healthy. When you feel your best in this way, your body can fight off germs much more effectively. Water also supports the production of lymph fluid which carries unwelcome bacteria to your lymph nodes to be destroyed. Water helps your kidneys work properly to flush out toxins and lubricates your eyes and mouth which means that infection is less likely to access your body.

General health – water helps to regulate your body temperature through sweat, it can help to keep your skin hydrated and it protects and lubricates joints, tissues and the spinal cord. Dehydration can cause fatigue, especially in women (in men higher testosterone levels temporarily override dehydration to boost energy) – but it does affect strength and endurance in both men and women. Drinking enough water can also help you to lose excess weight by regulating the signals from your brains that sometimes misfire with a hunger message when you’re dehydrated.

If you’re not drinking enough the physical signs are quite easy to spot: your urine is dark or concentrated (‘normal’ is the colour of straw) and you’re not going to the loo regularly, i.e. every two to three hours. Another sign, but perhaps more subtle, is that you might be susceptible to a streaming or congested nose.

You might also feel drowsy in the afternoon or your mood and energy levels are not as they normally are. Your blood pressure might be a bit low if you’re dehydrated and you feel dizzy. You might be more hungry than usual….

Food contributes only about 20% of water to your daily intake. The rest you need to drink. Pure water, coconut water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.

Six to eight glasses a day is a general rule of thumb and easy to remember. For average or moderate activity levels you can also calculate a more accurate amount based on body weight using this formula: weight in kilograms x 0.033 [e.g. 60kgs (approx. 9.5 stone) = about 2 litres per day; 90kgs (approx. 14 stone) = about 3 litres per day].

Of course, we all have different body types, environments, lifestyles and activity levels and therefore need different amounts.

It is possible to drink too much water, for example with certain health conditions such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver or heart problems or if taking medications that make your body retain water, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opiates for pain relief as well as some anti-depressants. You should check with a doctor if you’re not sure about the right amount.

How you can retrain yourself to drink more water …

Two litres seems like a lot, and you might wonder if you’ll be dashing to the loo all day and night if you drink that amount! The good news is that your body can quite quickly adapt to drinking the right amount your sleep needn’t be disrupted.

Here are some tips and tricks to try:

– Keep a reusable water bottle handy – this will help you to drink on the go and have a visual reminder to drink more
– Time-based habits can also serve as a reminder – for example drink a glass before each meal, before bed and soon after waking up– Use fresh fruit and herbs to flavour the water to add some variety – try strawberry and mint, blueberry and basil, lemon/orange and rosemary

Apart from drinking more, you can also eat more water-rich foods such as cucumber, spinach, celery, apples, blueberries, watermelon, strawberries. Every little helps!

Pilates Medicine

Pilates is a form of mind-body exercise that is based on slow, flowing, and rhythmical movements, that can help you function better in your everyday life. For example, it can help improve your balance and muscle tone while fostering a calm, focused clarity of thought. It’s often called meditation in motion.

Scientific studies are showing more and more health benefits that you can get from this practice. In fact, the health benefits are so numerous, some people are calling it medication in motion.

It is becoming widely recognized as one of the most powerful ways to improve both physical and mental health. A Pilates practice can help your health with:

  • Better Balance making you less likely to fall, and thus cut your risk of injury in half
  • Pain Relief: significant relief from back, neck, arthritis, and fibromyalgia pain
  • A Sharper Mind: It’s shown to help reduce age-related cognitive decline … and even slow dementia!
  • Better Heart Health: may reduce your chances of developing heart disease — even if you have risk factors
  • Improved Mood: greatly improved mood and lowered anxiety. It’s also an effective treatment for depression
  • Less Stress: Learn the secret to taking deep, calming breaths and reduce anxiety and depression