December 2005 Inside Outside Wellness Center & Medical Spa Newsletter

in this issue

This Month's SuperSlow® Star: Michele Yamin

This months SuperSlow® Star is Michele Yamin who has made remarkable strength gains! 

Michele Yamin, owner and executive chef, has been in the catering business for 14 years. Michele is famous for her home cooked meals and her creation of all the recipes for Four Sisters Catering. Michele personally hand picks all of the produce and menu items to provide the freshest foods for your occasions. She has been a chef for Mardi Gras Café as well as French Quarter Grill, which provides her with an enormous array of delectable dishes and treats. Her precise detail to cooking puts Four Sisters Catering over the top in gourmet foods. Michele Yamin is one serious executive chef!  If you have been to Houston, you know about Jamail Family Market.  Michele was their executive chef for 7 years prior to coming to San Antonio. Michele has been working out with us since January and has been very faithful with her workouts.  She was referred by her good friend Barbara Gober who was our Superslow Star of May 2005!

Four Sisters Catering Inc, Web Site.

 

In Michele's own words:

"Dr. Christian’s Inside Outside is an incredible place to get in great shape.  Other places promise results, but Inside Outside produces results.  I started with two previous broken arms, and can now pull more than my weight on the row machine.  The only thing you have to do is drink a protein shake every morning, and show up twice a week.  The staff is simply terrific, and is just as anxious as you are to obtain your results.  They are by your side the entire 20-25 minutes of your work-out, encouraging you on.  Dr. Christian, Dana, and Misty are tireless when it comes to explaining every move on each machine.  Dawn is equally detailed about the nutrition and Zone diet. 


What I especially love is walking in and working out, in the clothes I am wearing and my hair and makeup are never disturbed.  This is as easy as it gets when it comes to changing you Inside and Out!"

 

 Here are some graphs which demonstrate her remarkable progress in gaining strength! 

 

 

 

 

These are some of the most remarkable strength  changes we have seen in the Gym!  At age 59, 5'2 and weighing only 121 lbs she has become amazingly strong!

 

 

She is a member of the coveted "Row Your Own Weight Club" which requires the client to Row 6 repetitions in good form with a weight equal to or over your weight!

 

We expect her to also be in our

"500 Club" for those who can do 6 Repetitions in good form on the SuperSlow Leg Press!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During this period of time she has gained 3 lbs of muscle andher fat mass has stayed the same! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michele, we are proud of you!!

 

Congratulations on being selected our SuperSlow® Star of the Month and earning 4 more SuperSlow® Sessions!

 

Dr. Christian's Update on The 6 Components of Optimal Health and Aging 

 

"5th Component: Hormone Optimization"

 "Part 7: Estrogen

One of the best accepted factors which affect the aging process is the gradual decline in our hormone producing system of the body.  Hormones, as Dr. Sears, states are our “Internal Internet”.  It is the way our body communicates with itself.  The way the brain tells most of our cells to act and behave.  Unfortunately as we age, some hormones (the “bad ones”) Insulin, Cortisol and the bad Eicosanoids (Remember my Seminar?) go UP. And, what most consider beneficial hormones go DOWN or become ineffective due to the fact that our cell membranes and cells become less sensitive to their effects.  NOT FAIR! 

The goal of the Zone is to lower the bad hormones and make the good hormones more effective.  My association as a Physician Partner with Cenegenics in Las Vegas, the largest Age Management Clinic in the world, has taught me that in many cases it is safe and justifiable to gently replace some of the important hormones that get lower as we age.  Hormones such as Testosterone, Estrogen, Progesterone, DHEA, Thyroid and Growth Hormone are the main ones which we focus on trying to optimize. 

 

Science Magazine in 1997 had an article entitled “The Endocrinology of Aging”.  As the graphs below from the article demonstrate, there is a clear decline in many hormones as we age, leading to many so called “Pauses”.  I don’t know about you but I’m not really ready for any “Pausing” if I can help it.

Menopause Quiz, Circle One: Menopause begins when:
a.Your credit card is declined;
b.You swear off men;
c.Your car has broken down;
d.Your Rolodex becomes a blunt instrument;
e.You have recently maimed, dismembered, or bludgeoned your secretary, a soccer coach, hairdresser, taxi driver, or someone in a religious order.

from The Noisy Passage by Marie Evans & Ann Shakeshaft 

 

I believe that menopausal hormone therapy considerations must be individualized taking into consideration the benefits, risks and alternatives.  It is essential for a woman contemplating menopausal hormone therapy to discuss these issues with her physician.

Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body, essential for a variety of vital functions. In women, estrogen is produced mainly by the ovaries in three forms estradiol, estrone and estriol.  At Menopause levels of these hormones fall very low and can cause many symptoms such as hot flashes, mood alterations and vaginal dryness.  A woman has reached menopause when she has gone 12 months without a period. The North  American Menopause Society  has released a nice pamphlet, the MenoNote which  a woman can use to help her through the menopause experience and a booklet "Menopause a new beginning"  which explains in very clear terms the menopause experience.

 

For many years women were given a combination of estrogen (Premarin, Pregnant Mare Urine, Estrogens from Horse Urine) and Progesterone (Synthetic Progestin) called PremPro after menopause. The Progesterone was added to lower the incidence of uterine cancer.  The Women's Health Initiative found that the combination of these two non-natural hormones caused an increased occurrence of breast cancer and heart disease and many women stopped their postmenopausal therapy.

 

Other data shows that estrogens increase the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. Cancers of the breast, uterus, and ovaries account for 41% of the incidence of cancer in U.S. women. Breast cancer is at epidemic levels, affecting 1 in 8 women, up from 1 in 30 women in 1960.

  

Today many physicians are reluctant to start women on estrogen therapy because of the outcome of this and other studies.  It should be remembered that in this study the estrogens used were not those normally produced by a woman.  These estrogens, Premarin, from horse urine, did relieve symptoms of menopause and at this time most physicians tend to reserve estrogen therapy for those women with severe menopausal symptoms and if they use Premarin, will use a much lower dose or will use an estradiol patch of some kind which supplies the dominant estrogen in the female, estradiol. 

Some well accepted benefits of estrogen replacement are. 

  • Enhanced skin smoothness, firmness, and elasticity (Castelo-Branco et al. 1998)
  • Enhanced moistness of skin and mucous membranes
  • Enhanced muscle tone
  • Reduced genital atrophy and enhanced sex drive (Head 1998)
  • Reduced menopausal miseries such as hot flashes and anxiety (Vincent 2000)
  • Reduced risk of osteoporosis (Sites 1998)
  • Reduced risk of colon cancer
  • Improved memory and neurological function (Sherwin 1994; Jacobs et al. 1998)

  • Greater feelings of well-being

  • Improves endothelial flow

 

The benefits of estrogen make it desirable for most menopausal women to maintain youthful levels of this hormone. The question is: can the anti-aging benefits of estrogen be obtained without increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease and blood clots?

 

Some women will still prefer not to take any estrogens and will try some of the over the counter herbal products which have some estrogen effects.  The Life Extension Foundation has a product called “Natural Estrogen” which contains extracts from soy, Black cohash, Dong Quai Licorice and Vitex. 

 

Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) (from 110 mg of Mega Soy extract) Supplying: 55 mg
Genistein and the genistein precursor isoform genistin 25.81 mg
Daidzein and the daidzein precursor isoform daidzin 24.97 mg
Glycitein and the glycitein precursor isoform glycitin 4.69 mg
Black cohosh extract, powdered (Cimicifuga racemosa) (root and rhizome) 2.5% Triterpene glycosides 20 mg
Dong quai extract, powdered (Angelica sinensis) (root) 1% Ligustilide 12.5 mg
Licorice extract, powdered (Glycyrrhiza glabra) (root) 12.5 mg
Vitex extract, powdered (Vitex agnus-castus) (fruit) 5% Vitexicarpin 10 mg

 

If a woman does not get enough relief from these so called phytoestrogens, it may be advisable to start Identical Estrogen Replacement therapy. Of the three natural estrogens, estradiol and estrone are the strongest and many feel the metabolites of these may be responsible for the increased cancer rates and other problems.  Estriol is the weakest and is used commonly  in Europe.

At Inside Outside, we follow the Hormone evaluations and Protocols established by Cenegenics Medical  Institute of Las Vegas .  For post menopausal women with deficient hormone levels and menopausal symptoms, we would prescribe a combination of an Tri Estrogen Cream (Estriol 80%, Estrone 10%, and Estradiol 10%) and Bio Identical micronized Prometrium, 50-100mg/day Orally, as the Progesterone.

Facial wrinkling in postmenopausal women. Effects of smoking status and hormone replacement therapy.Castelo-Branco C,Maturitas. 1998 May 20;29(1):75-86.

 

 

Estriol: safety and efficacy.Head KA.Altern Med Rev. 1998 Apr;3(2):101-13

 

Influences of hormone replacement therapy on postmenopausal women's health perceptions. Blumel JE,Menopause. 2003 May-Jun;10(3):235-40.

 

Effects of transdermal estrogens on endothelial function in postmenopausal women with coronary disease .Blumel JEClimacteric. 2003 Mar;6(1):38-44.

 

 

 

The Voice of Clinical Endocrinology

 

 

The American Association of Clinical Clinical Endocrinology

 

 

Welcome to the Web site of The North American Menopause Society , the leading nonprofit scientific organization devoted to promoting women's health and quality of life through an understanding of menopause. This site contains information on perimenopause, early menopause, menopause symptoms and long-term health effects of estrogen loss, and a wide variety of strategies and therapies to enhance health.

 

 

 

 

book_premenop03r_150.gif

 

Anyone interested in this therapy should make an appointment with Dr. Christian to discuss their individual situation.  Dr. Christian is a physician partner with Cenegenics of Las Vegas and uses their laboratory profiles and hormone protocols. 

 See “The Works” Evaluation.

 

 

Next Month: Optimal Health Component #5 Hormone Optimization Part 8: Thryroid Hormone

Your partner in health,

Dr. Christian  Contact Dr. Christian

 

 
Back to the Basics: Minerals Part 8  "Boron"

 

 

We are continuing a series talking about those nutrients which are Essential to Life. A “Back to the Basics Series”. Basic questions we need to answer are: Why is this molecule or element Essential, What Purpose does it Serve, In What Form is it Best Consumed and How Much do we need. This month we continue our series on the Minerals that are essential to life and good health.  Part 8 Boron!

 

 

Minerals Pronunciation: primarystresswodott-schwar, Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. The term "mineral" encompasses not only the material's chemical composition but also the mineral structures. Minerals range in composition from pure chemical elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms (organic compounds are usually excluded)The study of minerals is called mineralogy.  They are inorganic, which means they don't contain carbon.  They are similar to rocks (a rock is an aggregate of two or more minerals), but smaller and they all have funny names, and you can buy real shiny ones for $1.00 each at most souvenir stores.

 

Dietary minerals are chemical elements required by living organisms. They can be either bulk minerals (required in relatively large amounts, macro minerals, grams or milligrams per day) or trace minerals (required only in very small amounts, micro or pico grams) Appropriate intake levels of each dietary mineral must be sustained to maintain physical health. Excessive intake of a dietary mineral may either lead to illness directly or indirectly because of the competitive nature between mineral levels in the body. So be careful how many rocks you eat and keep the kids away from the lead paint on the wall. Feed them Gummi bears instead.  Sometimes minerals are added to the diet separately from food, as vitamin and mineral supplements and in dirt eating, called pica or geophagy.

 

 

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Boron

 

 

 

 

 Essential  Pronunciation: ĕs`sĕn´sjal  or i-primarystresssen-chschwal a :basic and fundamental  a: being a substance that is required for normal functioning but cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be included in the diet  s :absolutely required and not to be used up or sacrificed  s :of the greatest importance  s :absolutely necessary; vitally necessary   n :anything indispensable ie don't leave home without it....More important than Gummi Bears...

Elements In Human Body % of Atoms % of Weight
Hydrogen 63% 10%
Oxygen 26% 65%
Carbon  10% 19%
Nitrogen 1.4% 3.3%
Calcium 0.31% 1.50%
Sodium 0.30% 0.20%
Phosphorus 0.22% 1.00%
Potassium  0.06% 0.40%
Sulfur 0.05% 0.30%
Chlorine 0.03% 0.20%

Why it Is essential and What does it do?:  Boron is a trace mineral that is needed by the body in minuscule amounts. It was discovered in 1910 as an essential element for plants but in 1985 scientific research discovered it was an essential nutrient for people, too. Boron benefits include healthy bones and proper brain functioning.

 

Boron plays a major role in helping to prevent osteoporosis by helping build and maintain healthy bones. It helps reduce the loss of calcium and magnesium in the urine, which is needed to help build strong bones. Boron elevates levels of serum estrogen and ionized calcium (important because women who develop osteoporosis have low levels of these). Boron also helps maintain healthy cell membranes for normal cell function, and facilitates various enzyme reactions for the body. Studies have shown that a deficiency in this mineral may impair mental functioning and depress mental alertness.

Possible Benefits

  • Build and maintain healthy bones. Inhibits the development of osteoporosis.
  • Enhances maintenance of healthy cell membranes.
  • Maintains proper mental functioning and alertness.

  • Elevates levels of serum estrogen and ionized calcium and possibly Testosterone

 

.What form is it best consumed? 

Plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, soybeans and nuts are rich sources of boron but the level in food depends on the soil in which it is grown. The table below can be used as a guide. Wine, cider and beer also contain significant amounts of boron. Please note that several Zone friendly foods are significant sources of boron such as almonds, avocados, hazel nuts and chickpeas.

 

How much is needed?  Inside Outside Recommendation 

There is no established RDA for boron, but a recommended amount is typically 3 mg a day, and amounts up to 10 mg a day can be used. Boron works best when taken with a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes calcium, magnesium, manganese, and riboflavin (Vitamin B-2). Symptoms of deficiency are basically unknown, but in animals it is stunted growth. Toxicity symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and lethargy. One of the basic micro nutrition products that we recommend at Inside Outside is Bone Up.  Bone Up contains 3 mg. of boron plus all the synergistic nutrients that are necessary for boron’s absorption. 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 313  Jarrow Bone Up contains 3mg of  Boron  See Dawn to Order!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 621  Life Extension Boron 3mg Softgels  See Dawn to Order!

 

 

 

 

  

The effect of boron supplementation on its urinary excretion and selected cardiovascular risk factors in healthy male subjects.

Naghii MR,  Biol Trace Elem Res. 1997 Mar;56(3):273-86.

 

The nutritional and metabolic effects of boron in humans and animals.

Samman S,Biol Trace Elem Res. 1998 Winter;66(1-3):227-35.

 

The significance of dietary boron, with particular reference to athletes.

Naghii MR.Nutr Health. 1999;13(1):31-7.

 

Boric acid inhibits human prostate cancer cell proliferation.

Barranco WT,Cancer Lett. 2004 Dec 8;216(1):21-9.

 

 

BORATES AS MULTI-FUNCTION CLEANING AGENTS

 


20 Mule Team® Borax

 

  Recommended by the Queen of Clean®, 20 MULE TEAM® BORAX has a multitude of household uses to help families clean and deodorize their homes for over 100 years. 20 MULE TEAM® BORAX is made of BORAX which is a natural occuring mineral compound that is used not only as a natural laundry booster, but as a multi-purpose cleaner. 20 MULE TEAM® BORAX is not harmful to washing machines, plumbing or septic tanks and does not contain phosphates or chlorine.

Download a handy printable brochure with all 20 Mule Team® Borax's useful tips for deodorizing and cleaning.
 
Click Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

USDA Logo

NUTRIENT DATA LABORATORY

Search the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

 The Institute of Medicine in their Dietary Reference Intake Book and tables

Next month Iron!

METALS IN NUTRITION

Dawn Blem

Certified Nutritional Consultant  

Contact Dawn Blem

 

 

Marketing Update:    KSAT 12 Coverage of SuperSlow Stars!

 

 

 

Our SuperSlow® Stars of November, Bill and Mary Lee Thorsby  were featured on 4 November on KSAT 12  in a segment on  about fighting Diabetes.  Nancy Gonzalez, KSAT Anchor and Rey Elizardo, Camera Man filmed the segment on 17 Oct 05 at the SuperSlow® Gym.

 

Checkout Nancy Gonzalez Bio at KSAT 12!
  
                    From Dr. Sears' Monthly Newsletter

The OmegaZone E-Magazine

 

 

"For years the medical establishment has been telling Americans that fighting heart disease means a war against cholesterol. Slowly but surely, like the powerful Wizard of Oz façade, the cholesterol story has been slowly eroding. Now the scientific data is shifting more to inflammation as the underlying cause of heart disease. Of course, this makes common sense since the number-one drug to prevent a heart attack is an aspirin. Although aspirin has no effect on cholesterol levels, it has a dramatic effect on reducing inflammation. Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine have again confirmed the importance of inflammation on heart disease. A crude indictor of inflammation, C-reactive protein, appears to be more powerful than bad cholesterol levels in predicting future heart attacks.
   But what if there was an even more powerful predictor of inflammation that could predict heart attacks? As I describe in my newest book, “The Anti-Inflammation Zone,” such a blood marker exists. It is the ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). This marker of inflammation precedes C-reactive protein by years. You could take drugs, such as statins, on a lifetime basis to reduce C-reactive protein.    Of course, there are some side effects, such as memory loss, muscle weakness, neuropathy, and liver damage. But statins don’t reduce the AA/EPA ratio – they actually increase it. On the other hand, taking high-dose fish oil reduces the AA/EPA ratio, and the only known side-effect is to make you smarter. The amount of fish oil you need to reduce inflammation depends on how well you control insulin in your diet. The more you control insulin by following the Zone Diet, the less fish oil you need. On the other hand, the less you control insulin, the more fish oil you need. The choice is yours. Whatever approach (drugs or diet) you choose, just keep in mind that controlling inflammation is a much wiser medical approach to reducing heart attacks than controlling cholesterol."

 

Let us know if you want the AA/EPA test.  The Cost is $300 and includes a consult with Dr. Christian to discuss the results.  We also talk about the AA/EPA test in detail in our Omega Zone Seminar.

 

Visit Dr. Sears Web Site.. Join the Forums and Sign up for his Newsletter.

 

 
 

Dana & Liz Fritz's "Inspirational Thought" for Inside Outside!

 

 

Dana's Thought!

 

I choose to keep the FAITH, HOPE, & BELIEVE that in the year 2006 we will all meet our FRIENDS at the newer, improved, PHASE 2 SuperSlow Zone Gym where the DREAM that Dr. C has been able to CREATE with LOVE, JOY, and his unwavering SPIRIT will come to fruition!!  THANK YOU Dr. C for your COURAGE, STRENGTH, and  steadfast will to INSPIRE and IMAGINE the SUPERSTAR in all of us!! 

 

 Dr. C's Theme for 2006!

"We Gotta Get Outa This Place!"

 

 

 

Liz Fritz's (SuperSlow Star Sept 2005) Contribution!

Imagine if we BELIEVE in our STRENGTH to have the COURAGE and FAITH to INSPIRE our FRIENDS and ourselves to CREATE and DREAM in our SUPERslowSTARdom.  THANKing YOU and WISHing you JOY, HOPE and good SPIRITs!

Your Submissions Welcome!!

 

Dana Marks New Wellness Center Manager and Personal Trainer

Her Vision for Inside Outside! 

 

GUNG-HO! Extremely enthusiastic and dedicated. [Earlier Gung Ho, motto of certain U.S. Marine forces in Asia during World War II, from Chinese (Mandarin) gōnghé, to work together (short for gōngyèhézuòshè, Chinese Industrial Cooperative Society) : gōng, work + hé, together.]

  

  When I met Dr. C many years ago, I remember thinking, ‘WOW, this Dr. is as GUNG-HO about the ZONE, and helping others as I am!  It is exciting and rare, to find another person that shares a VISION, fueled by PASSION, of the same kind.  It was equally exciting to find a physician that was dedicated to educating people about how nutrition and the choices we make on a daily basis reap positive outcomes in our lives.

 

I also remember thinking…

 

Dr. C is to San Antonio what Ken Cooper is to Dallas…

Way ahead of his time,Willing to change, and be changed, and Willing to do whatever he needs to do to get the good message/education out to the masses!

 

On the planet, we are the only species that can CHOOSE to change…all species change, but none have the ability to CHOOSE CHANGE.  With that being said, we are also the most resistant to CHANGE!  Change can happen at any place in an organization -- no matter how much or how little control or influence you perceive you have over your environment or those around you.   The most profound change in organizations happens when those at the top or in the key leadership positions take responsibility for making change happen –  because 70% of corporate culture (how people behave and do things) is shaped by its leadership.

 

Personal transformation precedes organizational transformation and while many people want change, it takes courage to take responsibility for change – whether that is personal change within yourself, change within a team or change within an organization. 

 

I am looking forward to being a part of, and watching the CHANGE that Inside/Outside is going through….and the transformation process that we will all be a part of as our new year, 2006 is right around the corner.

 

I can tell you that we here as a staff at Inside Outside WANT MORE!  And by wanting more, that means CHANGE!!!….GUNG-HO!!  INSIDE OUTSIDE SPA!

 

Picture this with me, will you?….

 

You have an appointment at the Super Slow gym for your weekly workout…

Following your workout, you have a Spa Treatment ….maybe a men’s facial, massage, or perhaps a pedicure???

As you walk through the doors an array of pleasant aromas fill your senses…

the smell of fresh brewed coffee from the Inside Outside Juice Bar….

‘Spa’ aromas of eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary coming from the Massage/Facial/Pedicure rooms fill the air…

Good smelling ZONE PERFECT food that is being cooked at the Inside Outside Grill…

Surrounded by fresh plants, running water fountains, fish tanks with colorful fish, and a serene atmosphere that invites you to come in, work out, and relax…

 

and of course. BE TRANSFORMED…INSIDE & OUT….

 

That is where we want to work and SERVE YOU! 

 

NOW CAN I HEAR US ALL SAY????

 

GUNG HO INSIDE OUTSIDE SPA!!!!  GUNG HO DR. CHRISTIAN!!  

 

About Dana Marks!!

Dana comes to us with a wide range of experience in health and fitness and the corporate word.

 

She is owner of Positive Solutions which offers medical billing services and health benefits for small businesses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She is Founder of a New Fitness program called, ‘YOKA’…the Christian Alternative to yoga.   She has produced a DVD, a line of lotions and candles, fitness accessories, and is writing a book.  Currently she teaches classes in San Antonio and in New Braunfels and the DVD is in the hands of a publisher

 

She was Vice President of Sales at The SCOOTER Store  in New Braunfels, TX

 

Prior to the Scooter Store she was Director of Fitness Services at the McKenna Sports Fitness & Rehabilitation Center in New Braunfels.

 

In addition she has been the owner of Hands Down, a full service salon and a Jazzercise Franchise.

She holds certifications from the Cooper Aerobics Center and their Physical Fitness Specialist Certification, is ZONE Certified and a Member of the National Speakers Association

 

She has been married for 21 years to the love of her life, Kevin and has 2 great kids, Kate, age 17, and Tye, age 15

 

Her Favorite things are…

Being home with my Family, with TONS of teenagers hanging out at our place!

 (Love to embarrass them and give them a really hard time!)

Singing in the Praise and Worship Band at Journey Fellowship (cell church for Oak Hills Church)

Decorating my home

Photography

Reading

Working Out

Drinking a good cup of Coffee with a blanket and a cat!

 

Dana Marks, Wellness Center Manager

Contact Dana Marks

 

Misty Bashara Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist

 

 

Misty Bashara is well known in San Antonio for her contributions to physical fitness and health.  She has personally trained many and is owner of  San Antonio Professional Fitness.

 

Misty Bashara CFT, AMTA, NCBTMB is the owner of Professional Fitness by Misty in San Antonio, Texas. Misty has over 25 years experience in the Fitness Industry and has been a Fitness Trainer for 21 of those years. Misty holds certifications as an Advanced Fitness Specialist as well as the Elite Certification from the Cooper Clinic Center for Aerobic Research. In addition, Misty has been a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist for almost 18 years. She holds the prestigious gold standard for bodyworkers, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage Therapy and Bodywork (NCBTMB) credential. She is also certified through the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Texas Department of Health. Misty received her Yoga Teacher Training through the Living Yoga Program qualifying as a Yoga Alliance Yoga Instructor. Misty has the knowledge and experience to tweak anyone's fitness program giving them an edge in the hurried world in which we live. Misty is a Master Trainer who works with individuals who are CEO's, individuals in management, housewives, secretaries, overweight, underweight, and unfit; anyone who is
interested in improving their overall fitness and health. Misty is currently helping top notch professionals from San Antonio Corporations such as SBC, H.E.B., and others to maintain their edge.

 

Benefits of Massage  Check Out our New Massage Menu...     

 

The benefits of massage are Occur Via Several Mechanisms:

 

Biomechanical Mechanisms:  Massage can produce mechanical pressure, which is expected to increase muscle compliance resulting in increased range of joint motion, decreased passive stiffness and decreased active stiffness .  Mechanical pressure might help to increase blood flow by increasing the arteriolar pressure, as well as increasing muscle temperature from rubbing and thus reducing  the severity of muscle soreness.

 

Neurological Mechanisms: Mechanical pressure on the muscle is expected to increase or decrease neural excitability and muscle spasms as measured by the Hoffman reflex. The Hoffman reflex is brought about by stimulating a nerve, particularly the tibial nerve, with an electric shock and is essentially measuring deep tendon reflexes and the level of spasm a muscle has.

 

Physiological Mechanisms: Changes in parasympathetic activity (as measured by reduced heart rate and  blood pressure and improved heart rate variability) and dangerous hormonal levels (as measured by Cortisol levels) following massage.  The immune system may be improved by increasing  White Blood Cells and Natural Killer Cells.

 

Psychological Mechanisms: A reduction in anxiety and an improvement in mood state also cause relaxation after massage.

 

MASSAGE THERAPY GROWS IN POPULARITY  Fact Sheet

 

2005 Massage Therapy Consumer Fact Sheet .pdf file

 

Contraindications of Massage

Seek medical advice before having a massage if you suffer from phlebitis, thrombosis, varicose veins, severe acute back pain, or fever.

 

Swellings, fractures, skin infections, or bruises should not be massaged. Lumps and swellings should be checked by your doctor.

 

Massage of the abdomen, legs, and feet should not be given during the first three months of pregnancy.

 

Cancer patients are best treated by specially trained practitioners who know which areas to avoid and which kind of massage is appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cultural and philosophical aspects of pressure, massage, and touch healing as alternative therapies.
Oumeish OY Skinmed. 2005 Mar-Apr;4(2):93-100.

 

The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention.     Related Articles, Links
Weerapong P, Sports Med. 2005;35(3):235-56.

 

Misty Bashara, Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist

 Contact Misty Bashara

 

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