We wish you peace and joy!
(Massage using circular movements with padding of finger on points)
- webbing between thumb and finger
- behind inner knee area
- wrist on the thumb side
- middle area of wrist
- below eyes on bony structure
Organs of the Immune system
Let's start with the bone marrow. This is where many different cells are produced, like red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
The spleen is the filter and storage space for the red blood cells. It also produces white blood cells and antibodies.
The Thymus is where the cells go to get educated about whats going on in the body. Then it releases those fighter cells to battle invading microbes like viruses, fungus and bacteria.
Tonsils are the first responders of the immune system. This organ produces antibodies an protects the body of foreign particles we breath in.
The lymphatic system births, raises and trains fighting cells. Circulates through vessels and nodes to travel to the areas of the body that need the defense to fight off illness of the body.
Yin/Yang Theory {Spleen/Stomach}
The stomach controls digestion, it receives the nourishment of the food you eat and passes it to the spleen. The spleen transforms the raw material into blood, and antibodies that influences the body’s immunity. This is why eating fruits and vegetables is an important part of out daily diet.
Chai Tea to warm the Soul
- 1 qt. of water add
- 6 whole cloves for the nervous system
- 6 green (smashed) cardamom pods for the colon
- 6 black peppercorns purify the blood
- 1 cinnamon stick for the bones
- boil for ~ 20 minutes
- add 3 bags of any black tea* and let steep for a few minutes
- ½ milk* portioned to remaining liquid (milk aids in digestion & irritation to colon)
- return to slight simmer
- strain all spices out
- serve with honey to taste
Enjoy!
How Thai Massage Helps Your Immune System
The cold winter months force us inside where we are exposed to colds, or flu viruses. That is why it is important to do what ever we can to keep our immune systems strong as colder weather approaches. Three of the main components of Thai massage are reflexology, gentle rhythmical pressure and stretching are shown to benefit the immune system. One of the most important parts of Thai massage is reflexology. reflexology is used to relax your whole body and mind. Reflex points on the feet help to calm over activity, and stimulates under activity in the body.
Another important component of Thai massage is gentle rhythmical pressure. Gentle Rhythmic Pressure applied to the muscle belly is especially helpful to the bones that create bone marrow. As discussed in “Organs of the Immune System,” the bone marrow is where white blood cells are created. The gentle rhythmic pressure stimulates the osteoblast of the bones making them stronger. This is similar to the benefit of weight bearing exercises. This gentle rhythmic pressure, combined with shacking, stimulates the lymph nodes and encourages movement to flush out the stagnant toxic build up that sometimes occurs in the body. It is always important to drink water after a Thai massage to assist in this process.
The stretching of the abdomen is the final way Thai massage can benefit the immune system. Abdominal massage can stimulate digestion and the lymph system. As discussed in the “Yin/Yang theory”, digestion is and important part of keeping the immune system working at its best.
Erica Beichley-Stevenson, LMT
816 718 9688thaibutterfly.com
What to do when the “to do list” is too long
The holidays fill our time and tend to make our winter feel so busy. We are also trapped indoors; fighting the chill, we become less active, get less sunshine, and fresh air, less fresh produce from our friendly farmers markets…
Strong immune function is dependent on our stress level. When I experienced my most recent cold, I admit feeling very annoyed! I was doing all the things I could think of on those many lists of tips…washing hands, eating healthy, exercise, etc. I started to notice, perhaps this was the problem, not the washing of hands part, but that I was doing this and doing that. Perhaps I should try less doing! There is little reward for doing the most, the healthiest, the best….it is not a competition! I started to realize the rewards of enjoying what I am able to do. Truly enjoy the fresh OJ I make in the morning. Sit down and ENJOY! Be mindful of how the orange was once a blossom slowly growing in the sun until it was ripe. Enjoy the fact that miraculously this orange is now in a bowl on my kitchen counter waiting for the morning I pick it up and squeeze it!
That cold I had reminded me to slow down. I was so busy doing and thinking of the next thing and the next thing, I didn’t even notice the stress. I am thankful for the reminder.
So here are a few tips for non doing:
Advice from my friend Jocelyn-
Be gentle with yourself. I remind myself of this several times a day! It is a beautiful mantra. It helps me when I feel indecisive or when my to do list is getting long and intimidating, when I cant figure out what I really want…I look to my heart and remember.
Advice from Aaron-
Lets just lay on the couch for 20 minutes. No talking, no questions, no fidgeting, no thinking. Granted he suggested this to get out of helping with the laundry, but it is the perfect suggestion for me sometimes!!
Advice from Thich Naht Hanh-
Mindfully breathing. Sit quietly and feel your self breathing in and breathing out. Take three mindful breaths and know you are taking good care of your self.
Advice from a yoga teacher-
Here are a couple of yoga poses to improve you immune function. Cold temperatures cause us to hunch up and collapse our chest. Our thymus is the organ of the lymphatic system that is responsible for the growth of T cells. It is right behind that collapsed breastbone so to stimulate the circulation in this area practice CHEST OPENERS!!
As always, drink lots of water, brush your teeth and be happy! With love, Megan
Megan Maienschein, ERYT 500
816 589 7879
www.megansyogaproject.com
If you could do ANYTHING....
What would you do if you could do anything you want? That question gnawed at my mind my last day of work. My last day of work…ever. Retirement had become a reality. I filled my list with the usual dreams of travel and enjoyment, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do those things because I’d become stiff and sore and creaky and almost immobile. I didn’t know how that had happened but my joints ached, my knees creaked, I waddled when I walked and my body bent like the crooked little man in the old children’s rhyme. I had to do something to salvage the rest of my life.
Yoga. I’d dreamt of yoga. I’d even attended a class a couple of times but I’d been very unsuccessful in the class…I could do nothing! Still, the idea of strength and mobility wouldn’t leave me. I spent my last day of work searching the internet for information about yoga and classes. I didn’t know Iyengar from Ashtani when I found a class listed as Restorative. What a nice name. Restorative. I needed to be restored. I called the number to see if there was room in the class for me. The kind young woman on the other end of the phone assured me I’d be most welcome and would fit in perfectly.
Thus I began my yoga journey at Yoga Project in Lee’s Summit. When I started class I could do nothing. I was able to get down to the floor by letting myself just flop down the last six inches but crossing my legs was totally out of the question. I kinda stuck my legs in front of me, let my knees flop to the side and crossed my ankles. The simplest movements were beyond my capability…I couldn’t even stretch my toes apart, it was as if they were glued together. But I attempted to do everything the teacher said. Restorative yoga has been my salvation from years of stress and sitting at a desk. Over the past few months of faithfully going to class my muscles have begun to unwind and my joints move freer. There have been times in class that I’ve needed so many props to get into a pose that I’ve used most of the bolsters and blankets in the studio to support my stiff old body. I’ve struggled just to get into a faint semblance of a pose, but I’ve kept trying with the patient support of the teacher and the kind acceptance of the other students in the classes. Once, I even fell head over heels off a bolster because I lost my balance while sitting! There was nothing to do but laugh and try again.
Over the months I’ve felt the tension relax, my muscles strengthen, and my joints become more limber. My feet no longer ache constantly from arthritis because the muscles are stronger and more flexible from yoga practice. My neck is longer…or maybe it’s that my shoulders have relaxed and are no longer hunched up to my ears. I can even do a pretty good downward dog! My favorite of all activities is hanging upside down on the rope wall. I know I must look like either an old bat or a side of beef, but, oh, the way the muscles around my spine stretch and relax makes me not care what I look like.
I’ve worked my way up from one day a week restorative yoga class to a second class for introduction to yoga. My goal is to improve to the point I can participate in the Beginning Yoga class. I still have a way to go, but, at least now I’m going in the right direction!
This essay was given to me from a dear student Connie Roman.
Thank You Connie!!!
HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS TO YOU!
1 comment:
Your newsletter is a very refreshing and positive start to the New Year. Wishing you much happiness and peace!
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