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Breast Cancer Pateints Benefit From Pilates

Did you know that Pilates can help breast cancer patients recover after surgery? This article cites a specific case study of a woman who was not able to brush her hair or put on her seat belt.  After a month of bi weekly Pilates sessions she improved her strength and flexibility and reduced her pain and swelling by half.  She is now about to do her own hair, buckle her seat belt and even drive herself.

According to Pilates expert Mari Winsor:

“The health benefits — better circulation, feeling generally stronger and releasing stress — are extraordinary.”

Some common side effects of mastectomy are reduced range of motion in the shoulder joint, tightness in the muscles that surround the joint, and pain.  Because of the physical and emotional stress of cancer diagnosis and the recovery process many women stop working out.  This can lead to more tightness and a longer recovery period.

Why does Pilates help?  Pilates is a safe, low impact form of exercise that not only builds strength and flexibility but also body awareness.  As my clients learn how to breathe they are able to use these breathing techniques throughout their day to lower stress.

Here are three tips from Dawn-Marie Ickes, MPT on how to get started with Pilates:

1. Breast cancer patients who want to get started with Pilates should always obtain clearance from their doctor before participating in any exercise program, both during and following breast cancer treatment.

2.Find a comprehensively trained Pilates teacher with a minimum of five years teaching experience and coursework in working with Pilates/exercise and breast cancer. It’s also a good idea to invest in individual sessions before attempting any sort of home program or group classes.

3. Keep in mind that nothing should be painful during an exercise. If you feel pain, stop doing the exercise and inform your instructor immediately so he or she can help you modify the exercise to eliminate pain.

Do you know of a woman recovering from breast cancer surgery?  Send her my way or forward this article to her.  I am happy to meet her for an initial consultation to discuss how Pilates can benefit her.

 

Sara’s Cuban Pumpkin Soup

My chiropractor, Sara Johnson, recently passed this recipe along to me. It’s quick, easy, and delicious. Pumpkin is loaded with Vitamins C, K, and E, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. It also has antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta-carotenes. Beans and pumpkin are both high in fiber. If you have the time to bake a pumpkin from scratch go for it, if not canned works just as well.

One can of pumpkin
One can of black beans
One handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 3 limes

Warm the pumpkin and beans, top with lime and cilantro and serve!

Massage Therapy for Better Sleep

According to this article from Massage magazine, insomnia costs you more than a good night’s rest:

New research shows insomnia is costing the U.S. workforce more than $63 billion a year in lost productivity. Insomnia is costing the average U.S. worker 11.3 days, or $2,280 in lost productivity every year, according to a study in a recent issue of the journal Sleep. As a nation, the total cost is 252.7 days and $63.2 billion.

The study was conducted via phone interview and more women than men report suffering from insomnia. The study’s lead author Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D. says “It’s an under appreciated problem. Americans are not missing work because of insomnia. They are still going to their jobs but accomplishing less because they’re tired. In an information-based economy, it’s difficult to find a condition that has a greater effect on productivity.”

Do you have trouble falling asleep at night or staying asleep? Want to be more productive at work or have a higher quality of life?  Massage therapy can help! Massage promotes rest and relaxation—two crucial components of good sleep.

New Pilates and Yoga Videos!

My super helpful IT guy Paul (of Mambo Media) just uploaded some new Pilates and Yoga videos for me. Hooray! The “Pilates for Back Strength” one features yours truly demonstrating Pilates stabilization exercises. This series is especially useful if you suffer from low back pain. Just remember to keep your belly button pulled in to your spine and breathe!

The “Yoga Vinyasa Flow” video shows a basic flowing Vinyasa series with a few standing balance poses. This is a good example of the series we go through in the Monday night Yoga class at my Sellwood studio.

Want to try out some of these moves? Call Anne to reserve your spot in an upcoming class or to meet with her for a private consultation. 503-705-4762.