Lighting Fires

“Thank you Tiana for changing my life.

I came to you with complex health issues including scoliosis, herniated discs, arthritis, fusions and chronic pain, my body has been so stuck and stagnant for so many years.

Every time I tried new exercises or health plans, I would crash, because my body would collapse on itself.

I resigned myself (from my early 20's) to this existence of treatment and survival - my only goal for my health was to maintain a baseline of manageable pain.”

This is a real part of a real testimonial from a real client I was pleased to receive. However, the way this story starts tends to be the story of the bulk of my clients. Complex cases that have been let down by individuals and are left to fend for themselves. Fortunately, this is not everyone’s story… but it occurs.

Self advocacy is not readily learned or practiced by many people. I believe this is the result of lack of good education on our own health, movement, and wellness.

Most individuals first resort, and sometimes last, is A medical physician - one person. However, relying solely on a general physician may not get you the specific results you are looking for.

Or answers are sought after amidst the noise of social media where deciphering valid information versus opinion is a very muddy puddle.

That said, the tenacity to try, experience, and then continue to ask questions in search for professionals who will work with you to understand your individual case is the best thing anyone can do.

Don’t settle

Physicians are trained to save your life, diagnose, and/or treat symptoms.

Your doctor may not have the answers but this does not make them bad. Correcting the problem may lie in the profession of another. You will need your doctor when things get bad.

A good trainer or coach is there to help you excel in performance.

Foundational base knowledge for rehab and movement correction can be the job of your physical or athletic therapist.

Different people for different jobs.

It is up to us professionals too to learn to think more critically, push boundaries, and learn to advocate for our patients in different ways.

What have you done recently to take responsibility for your health?

This is the area of health that I LOVE to work in - education and application of tools or modalities that I have researched, practiced, and applied at the highest levels, adding a chapter in your (this) life experience. The chapter I want to write is on MOVEMENT (encompassing all movement and manual techniques) as it pertains to TISSUE HEALTH and pain reduction.

Fascia envelops your muscles. It works to resist forces, transmit forces across the body, and allows for movement.

With consistent postures (ie. from habits, surgery, scar tissue, disease), fascia begins to fixate into positions that, overtime, can begin to create pains and tensions in areas we prefer not to have pain or tension.

With regards to the client above, she reached out after many years (almost close to 18 years) since I had worked with her last. Having learned to advocate for her health, she learned how not to settle when the answer was “I don’t know how to help you”.

“However, through your intensive and intuitive guidance and support, I have been able to break out of this trap and develop a new relationship with my body.

I am building strength and endurance, pushing myself beyond my limits, and achieving goals I didn't even know I was allowed to have.“

This warms my heart so much to read this!

Good movement (not movement in compensation), good blood chemistry, vessel health (arteries, veins, capillaries), and nutrition, as well as other health factors, play a roll in the quality of movement over a lifespan.

I have mentioned previously alternatives to tissue care that help with movement.

Beginning to really pay attention to health NOW can result in the reduction of immobility, burden on caretakers in older ages, and continued independence; playing at the level our minds will continue to race at when our bodies have a more difficulty time keeping up.

“For the first time in over 20 years, I have moments without pain.

But more importantly, and this is a wonder for me, even with the pain, I feel good in my body. I am stronger, healthier, and more stable and balanced.“

Pain is NOT the norm. What did we do?:

Implement a strength program one… exercise… at… a… time.

Add effective cardio, increase as tolerated.

Track and report, always.

Food timing (soooo important for muscle and fascia contraction!)

Start with one thing.

Do it consistently.

Then, add the next thing (have you considered weight lifting?)

Do that consistently.

And so on.

What activity can you add to your week that is the lowest barrier to entry?

Examples 30-45minutes of: walking, yoga, weightlifting, go to the gym, push ups, squats, lunges, car push, hiking, walking around your block one extra time…

Obviously this is not individualized. Good health is going to require more than doing 50 body weighted squats three times per week. A lot more. Pains may be signalling compensation or unhealthy fascia.

Reach out to professionals to gain more knowledge and education on tools you may not be familiar with (physical therapy, chiropractor, massage therapy). It’s kind of as important as seeing your dentist.

I have a myriad of professionals I work with and refer to on any given day. This helps to keep my clients, current and former, and people I care about living lives with a smidge more independence.

Step one before any of this is valuing your own health enough to actually make a change.

The rest is noise and stories we tell ourselves.

Lighting a fire,

Tiana