Our new Osteopath • Florian Schulze

We are delighted to introduce you to our newest team member Florian Schulze. Florian has recently migrated to Australia with his wife and two children. He has studied Osteopathy at one of Europe's oldest and most renown osteopathic educational institutions and has practiced at various clinics in Germany. Florian’s treatment approach is varied and versatile ranging from direct structural Osteopathy techniques to Cranio-Sacral Osteopathy and visceral techniques. Click here to find out more about Florian's background or phone us on 9430 8867 if you would like to book an appointment with him.

A very warm welcome to Florian!!

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Health Tip • Abdominal Breathing

Abdominal breathing, the act of relaxed full breathing, is our most immediate and powerful means to improve our physical health and peace of mind. Though relatively new to the West, it has been practiced in most ancient cultures for self-healing, accessing higher states of consciousness and to increase longevity.

Abdominal Breathing is simple and natural. Inhalation – abdomen expands, exhalation – abdomen contracts. Abdominal breathing is the way our bodies were designed to breathe, which can be observed when watching a sleeping baby. As we grow older however, our breathing becomes more and more shallow, due to the accumulation of emotional and physical tension, our sedentary life style, poor posture, fatigue and stress.

Health Benefits

Abdominal breathing has many health benefits. The expansion and contraction of the diaphragm massages all internal organs, especially the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands, which are directly beneath the diaphragm, as well as promoting peristalsis by regulating abdominal pressure. The descending diaphragm also exerts strong pressure on the vena cava, a major vein that drains stale blood from the abdominal organs and transports it up to the heart and lungs to be replenished with fresh oxygen. This pump-like pressure saves the heart an enormous amount of energy, effectively transforming the diaphragm into a second heart. Also, science has more recently come to understand the importance of the interaction between the lungs, diaphragm and ribcage as a primary pump for the lymph fluid. Besides all the physical benefits, deep breathing also affects our mind by inducing a state of relaxation, lowering our brainwave frequency to ‘alpha’ and shifting our nervous system into the parasympathetic mode which activates the body’s innate healing and cleansing responses.

How does it work?

Assume a comfortable posture so that your chest and abdomen can expand freely, either sitting or lying down. Inhale gently through your nose, filling the lower portion of your lungs first. This will make your abdomen expand as your diaphragm descends downwards. Then allow the upper lobes of the lungs to fill, which will slightly expand your ribs and chest. Exhale gently and steadily through your nose, releasing your abdomen inward as your diaphragm relaxes upwards. It is important not to force the breath, rather bring your awareness to your lower abdomen and gently draw the breath down. At the beginning your abdominal muscles may feel a bit tight and you may need to exert a bit of effort to give your belly space to expand. However, only fill up your lungs to 70-80% capacity, otherwise the lungs and surrounding muscles will tense up and you will breathe less deep. When practicing abdominal breathing, look for the following six qualities:

Abdominal breathing can be practiced anywhere and anytime. You may want to practice 5-10 mins before you fall asleep at night or get out of bed in the morning, or for instance while sitting on a bus or in a waiting room. Another easy way to train yourself is to do a set of 10 deep breaths - once, twice or three times per day. Incorporating practice into your daily life like this makes it very achievable. And as you slowly increase your sets and repetitions, you will become more and more aware of the quality of your breathing, catch yourself when breathing shallow and eventually fall into a natural rhythm of deep breathing.

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Shibashi Qigong • Next Course starts 16 August

This 7 week course offers a complete set of 18 gracefully flowing Qigong movements. The course includes a manual, wall charts and a great DVD. This is the perfect course if you wish to learn Qigong and would like to be able to practice it at home in your own time. It is easy to learn, easy to practice yet very effective ... a meditation in motion. Spaces are limited and booking is essential.
Read more about Shibashi Qigong ...

Apr 16 to Sep 27 • Monday evenings • 5:30 - 7:00 pm • 7 week course
Oct 18 to Nov 29 • Monday evenings • 5:30 - 7:00 pm • 7 week course

"Learning and practicing Shibashi has been a deep and transformational experience for me. It has helped me to connect with my body and energy in a profound, yet simple way. I feel softer in my movements, with more of my core life force energy accessible throughout the day. After practicing Shibashi it is like my body is humming in a lovely deep silence. I value the grace and clarity Mandana brought to the teachings each week and the practical way the movements were introduced so I could practice them at home and slowly build up to the whole sequence which I now practice most days. Thankyou and look forward to more practice sessions ..." Rebecca B.

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Product Focus • Vitamin D - Bioceuticals D3 Drops

Vitamin D has been receiving a lot of well deserved attention in recent years. Hundreds of solid research studies are emerging from both western scientific and holistic medicine quarters proving its critical role in maintaining optimum health during all stages of life. Until recently it was assumed that people living in sunny climates, like Australia, are unlikely to be vitamin D deficient. However alarming research findings throughout Australia point to widespread vitamin D deficiency, especially during winter and spring, and even amongst those who reported high levels of sun exposure. US studies show that one out of three people have very low levels of vitamin D. This demonstrates that the need to be screened for vitamin D levels is more important than ever.

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone made from cholesterol. It has a regulatory effect and role in repair and maintenance of over 1000 human genes and has a broad effect on most tissues in the body. It is involved in many important physiological functions including:

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is primarily produced by our skin through exposure to sunlight and only available in small amounts in our food supply. Even animals manufacture vitamin D in their fur and feathers by sunning themselves, and ingest it through preening and grooming.

The industrial revolution has brought about dramatic reductions in our exposure to sunlight which may have spawned our greatest health challenges. The so called ‘diseases of civilization’ like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer have all increased in this era and may be directly linked to inadequate levels of vitamin D. Our modern, sedentary and indoor lifestyle, fuelled by our fear of skin cancer has unknowingly reduced our tissue levels of the most potent steroid hormone in our body, one with powerful anti-cancer properties … vitamin D.

Ways to increase our vitamin D levels are through supplementation or exposure to UVB sunrays which are mostly present at midday. Slowly increasing sun exposure, in particular on chest and belly, to 20-30 mins of UVB rays several times a week, ensures adequate vitamin D levels. However some studies suggest that applying sunscreen as well as wearing sunglasses hinders vitamin D production. Furthermore a darker skinned person needs 10 times longer in the sun to achieve the same vitamin D levels as a fair skinned person.

The main reason why colds and flus are more prevelant during winter is because vitamin D levels drop due to lack of sunlight. Supplementation therefore becomes vital in protecting ourselves and family members from frequent colds and flus. Deficiencies of vitamin D can also lead to many more serious health problems such as:

Testing of vitamin D levels is best done by blood test through your GP. The current laboratory reference range is 50-150 nmol/L. However more recent research demonstrates that what is considered 'normal' may be far from 'ideal', particularly for those who are at risk of the above mentioned health conditions, concluding that adequacy begins at 75 nmol/L and best results are seen at 100 nmol/L. Anyone with a history of the above health conditions should have vitamin D levels checked regularly and supplement accordingly.

Dosage Guidelines

Dosage guidelines vary depending on age, body weight, health status and seasonal changes. Having your vitamin D levels checked and discussing the results with your practitioner may be advisable. Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), established over 20 years ago, were cursory and somewhat arbitrary and based on what was considered the minimal amount to prevent rickets. Current research confirms our requirements are much greater than previously assumed, and to date there is no evidence of toxicity with vitamin D using doses up to 10,000 IU/day. For example, in a 2009 study older adults were given 5000 IU/day for 12 months and blood levels increased from an average 28 nmol/L to an average 125 nmol/L in which lumbar spine and hip bone mineral density increased significantly.

Bioceuticals D3 Drops are easy to take and assimilate, and have proven to be clinically effective. Dosage levels range from:

If your vitamin D levels are low, or you are at risk of any of the above health conditions, or prone to frequent colds & flus, you can safely take the upper range of dosage recommendation. If none of this applies, the lower end of recommended dosage woud be suitable.

Vitamin D has an effect on calcium metabolism and hypercalcemia has occured in doses over 40,000 IU/day given over a period of months. Individuals with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and parathyroid disorders need to discuss their vitamin D dosage with their doctor.

Supplemention is effective in correcting vitamin D deficiencies, sustaining us during the winter months, or maintaining sufficient levels thoughout the year if we do not get enough sun exposure. However we must also remember that spending time outdoors in the sun and allowing its rays to reach our skin and eyes is essential for our health and wellbeing on all levels.

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Seasonal Recipe • Corn Bread Cake

Preheat oven to 200°. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Combine oil, maple syrup, juice, milk, and vanilla and add wet ingredients to dry and mix all together. Pour batter into a lightly oiled 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Eat for morning or afternoon tea with jam & butter, stewed fruit or nut butters. Or eat with savoury dishes such as winter soups and bean dishes. If you like you can decrease sweetener slightly for savoury dishes.

Recipe courtesy of Sahaja from The Great Life www.thegreatlife.com.au
Sahaja has been teaching Macrobiotic/Wholefoods cooking in Perth for 15 years and is a
Macrobiotic Counselor/Educator and Accredited Journey Practitioner.

Learn more about healthy cooking with Sahaja. Next 6-Week Basic Course starts Wednesday evening 22 September.

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Baby Massage Workshop • Wednesday 1 Sept

Learn to build your baby's confidence and self-esteem through the loving touch of your hands. In this playful workshop you will learn a head-to-toe massage routine, baby gymnastics and a Pressure Point & Reflexology routine. Tuning in and reading your baby's non-verbal cues, you will be able to pass on the countless proven health benefits of Baby Massage and in an atmosphere of love and respect establish a close bond which provides the emotional security your baby needs to thrive and unfold its fullest potential.

Wednesday mornings 1 Sept or 3 Nov
approx 1.5 hr workshop • 10:30am-12:00pm

NEW • Now also available individual tuition on Wednesdays or Friday mornings, if the above dates don't suit. Covers the same material as the group workshop.

Read more details about this Baby Massage Workshop.

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