BOLD statement alert!!!

I just taught my "Healthy Feet for a Healthier You" class at the Rossville Community Library this last Saturday. It was a wonderful class with 2 students who had lots of great questions and a serious desire to learn. Time did go by quickly and I felt like everything that I wanted to cover I did, so bonus!

The "bold" statement that want to make comes in the form of a reflection after a conversation I had last week with a student. I was asked after class about the embarrassing issue with regards to the inability to hold the bladder when sneezing. (Hint: #1: Kegels are a BAD idea, the pelvic floor might already be tight so tightening those muscles more only makes the problem worse.)

Since I needed to get home quickly to lock up my chickens for the evening, I did not have time to address this student's concerns immediately but I told her I would talk with her about it the following week. As I was driving home, I realized that I USED to have that same problem but that I do NOT have it anymore. So what changed? Well, rolling my feet over little Yoga Therapy balls, of course!

Disclaimer: I did take a weekend workshop with Leslie Howard on the "pelvic floor" last year. The reason why I mention this is because she did go over in detail issues that are showing up in the older population (men and women) and the fact that many health issues might stem from the fact that our pelvises are misaligned (think: chronic tucked pelvis). Although that class has given me much to think about and I am okay with being wrong, I don't think it was the tipping point for my body.

  

At the pelvic health workshop, Leslie Howard stated that 
"if you fix one dome you fix them all." 

For the sake of simplicity let us at least consider this opinion: Your feet are a dome, your pelvic floor is a dome (a cadaver has a bowl shaped pelvic floor ~ but scientists have discovered recently that the pelvic floor really is the shape of a dome when you are alive), your diaphragm is a dome, and your skull has a dome. What happens if you stack those domes correctly when you are standing? I would guess that the body is in alignment (and thus bodily functions work naturally). What happens if the domes tip one way or the other, again, when standing? Another guess would be that the body would be out of alignment (which then could translate to compression in the body and over extension in other areas). Of course, the domes move when you do...and our body needs a diversity of movement throughout the day, every day. 

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, in Yoga is the foundation of all standing poses. I find that it is the hardest pose to teach because standing on two feet is something that we do every day without really thinking deeply about it.  

Interesting fact: If you don't know where to put the weight of the body while you are standing then it is REALLY hard to correct the rest of the imbalances in the body above the feet (like the hips, ribs, shoulder, and head alignment). What is really fun for me is to teach the student to stack their bones in such a way that there is very little effort in holding the body upright. Sometimes they even get a little euphoric feeling when they stay in this position for a few minutes.

What I like about Leslie's "fix one dome you fix them all" idea is that we can work with the foot dome and see what benefits arise in the body over time. If anything, your feet will spread which improves circulation and gives space for the nerves. When you incorporate a 2 - 3 mile walk into your daily ball rolling routine, not only will your foot muscles strengthen (think: stronger muscles, better support, a more defined arch) but you will improve your overall well-being and health. As with any new exercise, patience and a little work several times a day will give the best results. 

What I am teaching in the foot health class and what I have been practicing for 8 months are exercises that stretch and strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the feet. At first, I was surprised at how tender my feet were after just one session. Now this work is something that I really enjoy practicing at least once a day. My feet feel much more grounded and I am stronger in my legs. These days I wiggle my toes and feet without really thinking about it (and it feels like a very simple stretch). My feet inherently WANT to move more!!

So while this topic is very important for my current Yoga students, I also learned that I also need to practice these stretches on a daily basis. And after my brief talk after last week's class and long drive home after class, I realized that stretching my feet has a ripple effect all the way up the body. What a wonderful discovery!

As always, I hope to see you on the mat!

Namaste`

~ Cat

Questions about "Healthy Feet for a Healthier You"

please email me

yoginiofoz@gmail.com

   

This bio-mechanist rocks my worldview!

To some people, alignment solutions seem too simple to actually work. The reality is that fixing your alignment addresses your foot ailments at the root of the problem, and that’s why converts are seeing real, positive changes in their bodies, despite years of seeking expensive treatments.
 

~ Katy Bowman

Foot health class at the Silver Lake Library

An Important Topic: Foot Health

There are so many ailments that stem from the limitations that we have placed on our bodies, either structural (as those provided by shoes), or from our habits. These habits include either a lack of total body movement, or an over-dependence on limited muscular patterns.

~ Katy Bowman

Why does foot health matter? You put your feet into shoes that are comfortable to you and go on your merry way. What is the problem?

Well, there might not be an obvious problem with your feet. And then as you think about it, you remember that you have either knee pain and/or back pain. But what does that have to do with my shoes? Plenty.

There are a multitude of variables that you might not be aware of when choosing a shoe that is right for you. For starters, most shoes have some sort of raised heel, and this may be less obvious than you think. Also, how many hours a day do you spend in shoes? If your shoes are too tight, what is that pressure doing to the intrinsic muscles of your feet, and more specifically your toes? If you have any sort of balance issues,this would be important information to know.

Just like a house needs a strong foundation, our body's foundation, our feet, must be strong, as well. If our feet turn out when we stand and walk that will have impact on everything up this closed chain. And then just the act of foot turn-out places unnecessary strain on the 'great toe' which may cause bunions to form. If that wasn't enough, weight placement on the foot effects the pelvis which in turn effects the back.......you see where I am going with this?

So, yes, what you do with your feet, including what you put your feet into, effects your body. A simple statement with profound consequences.  

Wow! That is a lot to ponder. Good, that's the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

The 'foot alignment and health' class I am going to teach will focus on the foot because I believe it is one of the easier variable to change and the benefits are many. Once you understand the basic biomechanics of your foot in relation to your whole body's health, you can make educated decisions that have a ripple effect. I have been studying Katy Bowman's work on "Nutritious Movement" and I would love to share her information plus my 21-year study of Yoga, Ayurvedic Medicine, and anatomy.

Interested in learning more?  I will be teaching in Rossville and Lawrence, a 2-hour class that will present easy-to-follow information on foot anatomy and biomechanics and its direction relation to health, daily stretches that you can do almost anywhere, and advice on what shoes are best for your overall health and well-being.

I truly believe that this information is vital and everyone should have it. If you want me to teach at your library, fitness center, shoe store, or community center than email me. 

Our bodies want to heal. Come learn how to be proactive in this process.

~ Namaste`

Cat

 yoginiofoz@gmail.com