The elderberry plant and its edible berries have been known to mankind for centuries for their astounding health benefits, but only recently they have become the subject of many scientific studies. Elderberry or Sambucus Nigra is a plant of the genus Sambucus, which contains several species of shrubs and small trees. The plant is a native of temperate and subtropical …
Controlling TMJ
According to Richard Hoff in a seminar called Wrapped Up in Fascia – The TMJ Connection” that I attended in January 2013 TMJ or TMD Syndrome is an umbrella term covering acute or chronic inflammation of temporomandibular joint which connects the mandible to the skill. This disorder and resultant dysfunction can result in significant pain and impairment. There are a …
Myofascial Release
The term myofascial release is derived from the Latin words myo (muscle) and fascia (or elastic band). Massage therapists and chiropractors liken the stretching of muscles and ligaments to the stretching of an elastic band. I use myofascial release as a gentle therapy, consisting of a mixture of light stretching and massage work. I will apply hands-on-massage strokes in order …
Frozen Shoulder
What is Frozen Shoulder? It can be a strange thing to suddenly have shoulder pain without injury or reason for the pain. This pain will stop you from moving your arms, which causes the shoulders to become stiff and to lose a range of motion. You may start asking others for help, reaching things that are above your head, and …
Cold versus Flu Symptoms
Physically, from the outside view, the differences seem minimal, as the symptoms tend to overlap. However, from a microscopic point of view, the cold and flu are caused by different types of viruses. The common cold is usually caused by variations of the rhinovirus or viruses that affect the upper respiratory tract. There are over 200 different types of viruses, …
Sleep Crisis
For the most part, we are a sleep-deprived nation. We rush through weekdays, operating on too little sleep and crash on weekends in an attempt to recover. And even for those of us clocking the requisite hours, sleep may be interrupted for a variety of reasons. According to Ralph Pascualy, M.D., medical director of the Swedish Sleep Medicine Institute (SSMI) …