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Sharing Harvard Health Twitter
Harvard Health People who practice #mind-body medicine used fewer health care services, says new study http://hvrd.me/TvkPQ
“Just like fluorinating your water or vaccinating yourself, these are ways of keeping you healthy with, from a public health perspective, minimal investment,” Dr. Stahl says. “My own opinion is that we should probably be teaching those skills in grade school.”
So, what do I hear from my Trainer?
Etruscan Art 520-510 B.C Terracotta and Pigment by Epiktetos – The Athletic Trainer
The forked stick held by this man identifies him as an athletic trainer. 
The ancient author Epictetus (A.D. 55-135) vividly describes the role of a trainer in an athlete’s path to victory:
[Athlete:] I wish to win an Olympic victory.
[Trainer:] (If so), you have to submit to discipline, follow a strict diet, give up sweet-cakes, train under compulsion at a fixed hour, in heat or in cold; you must not drink cold water, nor wine just whenever you feel like it; you must have turned yourself over to your trainer precisely as you would to a physician. Then when the contest comes on you, you have to dig in beside your opponent, sometimes dislocate your wrist, sprain your ankle, swallow quantities of sand, take a scrourging; yes, and then sometimes get beaten along with all that.
Common knowledge to the Spartan Running Girl, Marathon Man, Phidippides of yesteryears and today. (Courtesy of Wall Panel with an Athletic Trainer housed at the Getty Villa Malibu)
This is certainly no new fad, certainly to not to the athlete. Trainers have been telling us to “be quiet and get to work or you would not be in my gym”, for a very long time. (520-510 B.C)
This phenomenon is new, however, to 21st century people who:
- Sit in cars for what seems to be an eternity to go sit at computers all day.
- Sit in the same cars to go home and sit at another computer, or be entranced with television and video games..
- Inactivity is further compounded by the choice to eat mindlessly while doing these “activities.”
Take a break. Move, Sweat!
- “Champion” your effort to return to better health with no complaints. The consequences of inactivity are not pleasant.
- Dealing with physical challenges? Move to the best of your ability!
- Work best by engaging family, friends or joining a group of people who are facing the same physical challenge? Do that! There is power in numbers.
- Do what’s right for you. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
Submit to discipline, healthy diet, new hours, unfavorable weather, tepid water and lack of sweet-cakes or “donies” as they are called in our house! Train for the Good Life of Health to the best of your ability.
Better Balance and Human Performance
Right now there is a DEMAND for better or greater balance in all aspects of HUMAN performance.
Original SANDDUNE’s unique properties have the capacity to help rebuild these “balance” challenges.
Daily living – sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, gait and core strength
Fitness – rebuilding, maintenance and weight loss
Recovery from surgery or injury – hip, knee, ankle, foot surgery and lower back issues (Prehabilitation and rehabilitation)
Ageing population – chronic illness leading to sedentary lifestyle, and poor gait
Caregivers – facing lack of physical exercise due to demands of caregiving
Children and Adults with Visual and or Vestibular challenges
Coping with the challenge of chronic illness or physical
limitation regardless of age– Stroke, Parkinson’s, MS, Diabetes …
Professional – Firefighter, professional athlete
We offer a 30 day, no risk guarantee for those who are seeking a simple yet effective supplemental path to regaining and rebuilding better balance strength. Don’t wait. Click on the icon below!
Now is the best time to begin your journey to better balance.
The First Step of 1000 miles
The unique properties of Original SANDDUNE™ provide a cushioning, conforming platform ideal for use in the early segments of a rehabilitation plan. Its surface gently forces the foot’s muscles, tendons and ligaments to stretch as your weight shifts from one foot to the other. Simultaneously your whole body is adjusting to gain its Center of Gravity (COG).
“Toes Down” Stretch
“Toes Up” Stretch
Few balance devices allow the whole foot to sink down into their surface while offering the benefit of allowing your toes to stretch and work individually. Original SANDDUNE’s material and construction allow for these “Toe Cross Fit Workouts.”
Relearning to press each toe, individually, into the floor and then into the SANDDUNE™, is a job many pairs of feet have not done since they were running around barefoot as kids. Try it right now and see how challenging it is! Don’t look down at your feet while you try! Among the select few who use their whole foot besides kids and a select group of athletes are:
- Gymnasts
- Dancers
- Runners in ” nature’s socks” like Abebe Bikila or Zola Budd
- Yoga devotees to name a few (sans yoga socks!).
Peeling The Heel
“Peeling the Heel” is an exercise that promotes greater flexion in the ankle arch, and allows the Achilles to tendon to stretch and strengthen slowly. This means greater ankle strength, and can increase the leg stride. You are now “firing the glutes” and learning to walk from the hip. And getting gentle trigger point therapy for the foot at the same time.
Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.“ Help your toes begin your journey today with Original SANDDUNE! Give them the “Boost of Balance” as your Holiday Season begins!
Sharing a Post – Weighted Medicine Balls are back!
https://www.yahoo.com/health/medicine-balls-are-ancient-fitness-tools-that-keep-99321740852.html
Challenge your Balance, Build Flexibility and Stamina
with Cardio Pumping “Weighted” Workouts
on Original SANDDUNE™!
Weighted Medicine Ball Workout on Original SANDDUNE
Weighted Belt Workout on Original SANDDUNE
‘Prehabilitation’
Prehabilitation is becoming a more widely accepted process before hip and knee surgery. It is defined as exercise and strength training designed to strengthen the body before surgery so the body is better able to tolerate the stress of the procedure and its post operative effects.
The gentle, low impact/high resistance exercises that Original SANDDUNE offers with its capacity of developing the lower body’s “balance strength“, and core’s strength, lends itself to this type of therapy. We are Sharing a posting about the benefits of “Prehabilitation” before surgery.
‘Prehabilitation‘ prepares patients for hip and knee surgery
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-10-prehabilitation-patients-hip-knee-surgery.html
Your Internal GPS
Experiencing weight bearing activity on a compliant surface such as the Original SANDDUNE™, engages use of proprioception otherwise known as your internal GPS. Exercise on this apparatus safely recruits muscle fiber without the traditional tearing that occurs on hard surfaces. This is why we suggest padding for at least 2 weeks to become acquainted with the Original SANDDUNE™’s unconventional surface.
This regimen is
a great alternative to letting the body rest after following the workout/fitness pattern of high intensity workout training without loosing the strength and stamina gained in the high intensity workouts.
Original SANDDUNE™ is also an alternative to beginning a regimen that can be part of addressing neuropathy, common in many with diabetes. It is easy on the feet facilitating and encouraging exercise.
Padding is simply walking but keeping your feet in continual contact with the surface. This is suggested for EVERYONE, including high functioning athletic types. Resist the temptation to jog. Why? Because you are retraining every muscle
and joint in your body including long and short muscles closest to the bone.
This is “mindful” centering with the somatasensory body (whole body meaning bottom of foot to brain) – a new way of educating and retraining the foundation of your physical body (neuro pathways) using Original SANDDUNE#™.
Simply holding on to a bar and learning to stand on one leg with your other foot raised slightly above the pad after you have centered yourself or just standing and learning to create small dime size circles clock-wise and counter-clockwise under your foot, noticing how the sensation moves up your legs into the trunk and into the hip sockets, will help you begin to retrain your foundation.
Learning the subtleties of how the body aligns and connects through the resistance option of both uphill and downhill positions teaches postural integrity. The uphill slope is higher and simulates walking uphill. The downhill slope is lower and simulates walking downhill.
Beginning these exercises slowly and building speed and momentum may not feel like much to start, but the results will definitely make themselves known or felt in a relatively short time as the muscle activation becomes stronger and the movement easier. Once you step off and resume walking on a normal surface, you will begin to notice subtle changes in your posture.
This is your new way of educating and retraining the foundation of your core balance, strength and coordination.
The Networking Maze Tendons and Ligament
In our effort to help get new innovations out to the public regarding replacement therapy for joint, Original SANDDUNE™ is sharing a blog article from Houston Methodist.
” A new TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT that saves all of the ligaments can make a person’s knee feel and move just like the original.
Learn how a new procedure shortens recovery time & preserves a better range of motion by saving those ligaments → http://bit.ly/1n7stvV. – Jason
Houston Methodist serves as the official health provider for the Houston Astros, Houston Dash, Houston Dynamo, Houston Texans, Rice Athletics, and RodeoHouston.
Original SANDDUNE™ 