Announcements
Clinical Health Maintenance (CHM) and MyBodyMetrics have joined together to offer the MyBodyMetric body assessment evaluation at CHM clinics. The MyBodyMetrics assessment is provided by a trained instructor/therapist of CHM and is followed by a free massage treatment that is provided by students of the Blue Heron Academy.
The following article(s) describe reasons for the evaluation program and how it works.
MyBodyMetrics – Body Fat and Bad Posture
A certain amount of body fat is essential to the normal function of our bodies. Many of us carry around more than what is optimal or essential.
Obesity and weak muscles contribute to problems with posture, and likewise bad posture contributes to muscle strain, joint stress and the many problems that simply compound the bad health factors of obesity.
What contributes to bad posture?
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Weak muscles
• High-heeled shoes
• Tight muscles; decreased flexibility
• Poor work environment
• Poor sitting and standing habits
What contributes to good posture?
• Good muscle flexibility
• Normal motion in the joints
• Strong postural muscles.
• A balance of muscles on both sides of the spine.
• Awareness of your own posture, plus awareness of proper posture which leads to conscious correction. With much practice, the correct posture for standing, sitting, and lying down
There is an important relationship between posture, obesity, body image, and correct musculo-skeletal function.
MyBodyMetrics – Body Composition
What your body is composed of in terms of body fat and lean mass, the overall distribution of body fat on your body frame, the shape and symmetry of your body, your overall body posture, and your thoughts regarding your personal body image are all very important components regarding how you feel about yourself, your personal health risks, and your psychological sense of happiness and fulfillment.
The MyBodyMetrics program is designed for people who desire to change their body form and composition through fat loss, muscle gain and postural improvement.
The goal of the MyBodyMetrics program is to provide you with a method of body measurement and assessment that improves your body composition and structural alignment. The MyBodyMetrics program includes:
• Body composition testing including body fat and lean mass measurement
• Height and weight measurement
• Body Mass Index Calculation
• 10 Point Postural Assessment
• Body Symmetry Assessment
• Tracking Your Body Composition and Posture
Since the mid-seventies, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased sharply for both adults and children. Data from two national surveys show that among adults aged 20–74 years the prevalence of obesity increased from 15.0% (in the 1976–1980 survey) to 32.9% (in the 2003–2004 survey).
The two surveys also show increases in overweight among children and teens. For children aged 2–5 years, the prevalence of overweight increased from 5.0% to 13.9%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 18.8%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.4%.
These increasing rates raise concern because of their implications for Americans’ health. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including the following:
• Hypertension
• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
Many people do not understand the relationship between musculo-skeletal disorders, muscle wasting, and poor posture and obesity. You do not have to appear to be obese to be obese! Many people with normal looking physical appearances also have abnormal levels of body fat and deficient levels of lean mass (muscle).
Articles
Naturopathy, Medicine Whose Time Has Come?
Gregory T. Lawton, D.N., D.C., M.Ac. (Diplomat)
Chances are your grandmother did it, and maybe your mother did it too. It is not unusual to learn that Grandma Mattie, or Aunt Hattie would whip up herbal concoctions in the kitchen. Maybe they were naturopaths.
What is a naturopath? A naturopath practices natural medicine, or naturopathy. Naturopathy means using nature to treat suffering (pathos) or disease. The naturopath employs the centuries old methods of herbal medicine, nutrition, fasting and diet, exercise, hydro-therapy, and massage. In a sense naturopathy is as old as healing itself.
The word naturopathy was developed about 100 years ago, but the concepts of healing that are used by the naturopath can be traced back to the beginning of recorded history. Naturopathic practices, based on healing by natural means such as using herbs, have been found to have been used for 11,000 years. One naturopath of note was Hippocrates, who although claimed by modern medical doctors as the father of medicine, was in reality a natural physician who commonly used herbs, diet, water therapy, and massage for healing.
Thomas Edison, a strong supporter of natural medicine, said that "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” The central tenets of naturopathy include:
Primum non nocere, or do no harm
Recognize and use the healing power of nature
Find and treat the cause of disease
Teach health and educate your patients
Respect and honor the total person
Use prevention over treatment
Naturopathy, although not always called that, has been a global experience in that every culture and country in the world has had, and in most cases still uses natural medicine. China developed traditional Chinese medicine which is mainly the practice of herbal medicine, diet, massage and acupuncture, in India Ayurveda, was developed which also relies upon herbs, food, water and massage therapy, and in the United States many of the herbal remedies used by naturopaths today, originated with the native American Shaman.
Modern naturopathy has built upon this ancient heritage and naturopathic doctors are now graduates of four and five year educational programs. They use medical tests and diagnostic methods combined with new approaches in clinical nutrition, diet, exercise, herbal medicine, and may also practice acupuncture and manual therapy.
In Michigan, the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, provides a state licensed five year naturopathic health care training program.