Fascial Release for Emotional Trauma

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Sometimes emotional trauma or stressors can result in physical symptoms because the memory of the trauma is stored in the fascia. Fascia is a connective tissue, primarily collagen that forms a matrix throughout your body and helps to support overall structure, stabilize and to aid in movement. Think about when you burn yourself - by the time you realize that something is too hot - you are already burned. It takes some time for the pain signal to reach the brain and then for your brain to send out a response for you to remove the hot item. In the meantime you have cells [many of them which are in the fascia] in your body that are storing memories faster than your brain.

When you are responding to trauma, sometimes it is so overwhelming that before your brain has even had time to process what is happening - the memory of whats happening can be stored in your cells. But what happens when these memories are stored in your cells - especially in areas like your fascia for years on end without being addressed? Often times it can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, back pain, neck pain, numbness and tingling and overall dysfunction. It can even negatively affect your posture.

This may be the part of reason why treating injuries from car accidents, emotional and physical assaults and childhood trauma can be so complex. Some of it is inevitably stored in the fascia and left to fester - it can lead to physical symptoms later on.

If you have suffered from any kind of emotional trauma, in addition to seeing a psychologist or psychotherapist I recommend seeing a manual therapist. This mind-body approach to healing can allow for more in depth recovery.

Some of the most common areas I find that people store trauma is in their neck, shoulders and hip flexors [psoas muscles]. Try these easy myofascial release techniques that I shared with Global Morning News to help alleviate some of the tension that may be caused by stress or emotional trauma.

LONDON POP-UP

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I’M POPPING UP IN LONDON, UK ON FRIDAY, FEB 28TH. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHOP THE DR. LIZA SHOES IN PERSON PLEASE EMAIL HI@DRLIZASHOES.COM FOR AN INVITATION.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK THE FACE FIX TREATMENT YOU CAN EMAIL HI@DR-LIZA.COM

United Nations as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent under 40

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Last month I had the privilege of spending time at the United Nations as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent under 40 for 2019. A great experience and a springboard for lots of work to be done! @MIPAD100 #MIPAD100 @ United Nations Headquarter

An 8 minute routine using a a lacrosse ball to get the same effect as a 60 minute massage

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Tips on how to get a full-body massage in eight minutes. Posture expert Dr. Liza shares her tips on how to de-stress and release tension in key areas with only a massage ball. Learn how to roll out your pec muscles [pectoralis minor], middle back, hip flexor muscles [psoas] and glute muscles with a lacrosse ball to not only feel better but also improve your posture.

Can improving your posture be the secret to finding love?

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Some time ago I had a new patient come in to see me for help with her posture and neck pain. She had recently moved to the city to start fresh and hopefully meet her soulmate. I don’t know if she knew that both goals of improving her posture and falling in love were so closely linked. After the treatment, I recommended that she see me in a weeks time to follow up and assess how she responded to treatment. Unfortunately with my busy schedule it was 5 weeks until I saw her again. I asked her how she had responded to the first visit and she commented that she was sore for 2 days but then hasn’t had any pain at all since. Her posture was noticeably improved and she seemed happy. I inquired about her dating life and her eyes lit up. She told me that ‘things are so different here. I have so many guys interested in me. I’ve never had this kind of reaction before.” She then told me about her experience at a upscale downtown club and how a very attractive man approached her in a sea of beautiful women and asked if she was single. He took her number and proceeded to ask her out and they found a connection. She told me that she felt like she got her mojo back and she was really enjoying herself and this new found self-confidence.

While there are so many factors to account for this new found sense of self, improved posture certainly played a part in the magnetic attraction she was exuding. Not only do men find women [and vice versa] with better posture more attractive, when you have improved posture you genuinely feel more confident. This is because your body produces more testosterone - which is the hormone associated with confidence - when you are in a more upright open posture. It also sends out the right body language indicating that you are open to opportunity.  Opportunity to attract the love of your life or even great  work and life opportunities.

And honestly when you improve your posture you just look better too. Since we tend to be quite a superficial society, looks do matter. Improving your posture won’t make you look like a different person, it will just make you look like the best version of yourself. Which is great because why would you want to look like anyone else.

The Social | These dance moves will help improve your hip mobility

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There’s a reason why standing desks have replaced standard ones in some offices. Our technology may be getting smarter, however we’re becoming more sedentary (whether screen time or work settings are to blame for this is a separate discussion). Some sources even claim that prolonged sitting is just as bad for our health as smoking.

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Statistics show that, on average, Canadian adults spend 10 hours of their waking time sitting. This is a growing concern because there’s definitely a downside to sitting down for too long or too much. Here are five negative effects of sedentary behaviour:

Shorter life span

When you sit or lie down, it counts as physical inactivity, which we all know is terrible for our overall health. But research has shown that your one-hour daily sweat sesh doesn’t matter as much as what you do for majority of your day. A 2017 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that regardless of whether or not you regularly exercise, sitting for uninterrupted, long periods of time increases your risk of an early death from any cause. Other research reveals that decreasing your sitting time by just three hours can add two years to your life.

Higher risk of cardiovascular disease

Heart health is important, so taking steps to prevent cardiovascular disease is always a good idea. But not taking enough literal (foot)steps can be doing some major damage to your health. Studies have shown a link between sedentary behaviour and cardiovascular health. One study in particular says that sitting for a total of more than 10 hours a day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Higher risk of dementia

Dementia refers to a group of symptoms caused by brain disorders. Symptoms may include memory loss, as well as difficulties with thinking and problem-solving, which can affect one’s ability to do everyday tasks. Research suggests that sedentary behaviour plays as much of a role in increasing the risk of dementia as genetic factors.

Higher risk of Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that can cause serious complications in various parts of the body. A study that involved 794,577 participants was published in the journal Diabetologiarevealing that those who regularly sit for long durations double their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Higher risk of disability

We often take advantage of having the ability to perform mundane tasks such as getting out of bed or taking a shower. But regular prolonged sitting can affect our physical abilities in the future. “Each hour spent sitting could raise the risk of having trouble with tasks like dressing and eating regardless of physical activity levels, a study of people aged 60 and older suggests,” the CBC reports.

Lucky for us, there are things we can do to combat the “sitting disease”. In the video above, manual osteopath, Dr. Liza Egbogah, shares some fun stretches you can do to increase hip mobility, which like many parts of the body, is affected when we sit longer than we’re supposed to.

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The Social | A five-minute yoga routine that will help you feel your best

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It sounds too good to be true, but Manual osteopath Liza Egbogah proves it’s possible!

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Spring is here which means it’s time to ditch the layers, shake off the winter blues and get moving. Manual Osteopath Liza Egbogah has a workout routine that will be sure to get you into shape in just five minutes.

It’s all about consistency with this workout and doing it every day. We all know that there are tremendous benefits that go along with a regular exercise routine such as less pain, better overall health, improved mobility and an improved mood, and this routine does just that.

So, how will these poses help?

These five yoga poses are proven to target all major stabilizer muscles in the body that you would typically focus on in the gym, which lead to better posture, improved appearance and less stress on the body. Each of the poses in this session help to increase endorphins which are the natural feel good chemicals in your body. They also help to reduce cortisol levels – which is the hormone associated with stress. Because the routine also helps to improve your posture it means that you will have lasting positive effects on your mood beyond the 5 minute routine. Research has shown that just 30 minutes of good posture can improve your mood while 20 minutes of poor posture is enough to leave you feeling down.

BOW PULLING POSE

HOW-T0

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Inhale, shift your weight onto your right foot, and lift your left heel toward your left buttock as you bend the knee. Press the head of your right thigh bone back, deep into the hip joint, and pull the knee cap up to keep the standing leg straight and strong.

  2. Try to keep your torso relatively upright and reach back with your left hand and grasp the outside of your left foot or ankle so that your finger tips are on the outer part of the ankle.

  3. Begin to lift your left foot up, away from the floor, and back, away from your torso and kick it towards the ceiling. Extend the left thigh behind you and parallel to the floor. Stretch your right arm forward, in front of your torso, parallel to the floor.

  4. Stay in the pose for 20 to 30 seconds. Then release the grasp on the foot, place the left foot back onto the floor, and repeat for the same length of time on the other side.

BENEFITS

This move opens up the chest and hips which has been proven to reduce cortisol [stress hormones] levels meaning you’ll feel better and also helps to improve your posture.

 

TRIANGLE POSE

HOW-TO

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide and palms down.

  2. Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Line up the right heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the right knee cap is in line with the center of the right ankle.

  3. Extend your torso to the right directly over the right leg, bending from the hip. Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Turn your head it to the left looking up at your left hand.

  4. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

BENEFITS

Triangle pose is so intense that it acts as a cardiovascular workout. It takes work from a large number of muscles and some serious balance to hold this pose which results in a serious calorie burn. You’ll really feel the sweat. You’ll also come out of it feeling better and more aligned.

 

HEAD TO TOE POSE

HOW-TO

  1. Bring your feet together and raise your arms above head. Interlock your fingers and release the pointer fingers [steeple grip]. Step your right leg out about 4 feet towards the right. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and do same with torso, hips, arms, and head.

  2. Rotate left foot in about 45 degrees to keep hips squared forward. Tuck your chin into your chest while maintaining straightened arms and legs. Round down from the hips until your forehead touches your right knee. If your hamstrings or back is tight you can bend your right leg until your forehead touches the knee.

  3. Keep your arms and left leg straight, and if you need help balancing, separate your hands and place them on the floor. Keep your forehead on the right knee making sure your hips are square to the floor. Try to hold this position for 20-30 seconds.

  4. Repeat on left side by turning once to face forward and then turning again to face left leg

BENEFITS

This pose is great for boosting metabolism and improving your mood. By compressing your thyroid when you bring your head to your knee, you are stimulating it and improving your metabolism. The rush of blood to your head is also great for your mood while the overall stretch helps to create alignment.

 

PLANK POSE

HOW-TO

  1. The plank is one of the best core workouts you can do to improve your posture. Since you are working many of your large stabilizer muscles with this exercise you are also getting a cardiovascular boost.

  2. Start from standing and then bring your hands to the ground in front of you. Inhale and draw your torso forward until the arms are perpendicular to the floor and the shoulders directly over the wrists, torso parallel to the floor.

  3. Press your outer arms inward and firm the bases of your index fingers into the floor. Firm your shoulder blades against your back then spread them away from the spine.

  4. Press your front thighs up toward the ceiling, but resist your tailbone toward the floor as you lengthen it toward the heels. Your back should be flat like a plank board.

BENEFITS

This pose engages your abdominal muscles for a serious burn. Try to stay in the plank for 1 minute.

 

CAT CAMEL

HOW-TO

  1. Kneel down on all fours with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Round your upper back while pressing your shoulders forward and looking down. This is your starting or cat position.

  2. Pause, then slightly arch your back while looking up towards the ceiling to a slow count of 5. Return to starting position and repeat 5 times

BENEFITS

Cat camel is a great mobilizing pose that will help reduce stress hormones and increase endorphins which are feel good chemicals in your body. It will also help correct an anterior pelvic tilt posture [where your stomach sticks out] from too much time sitting.

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etalk | Myofascial Release Facial

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I shared one of my favourite celebrity treatments with etalk’s Chloe Wilde. Using a combination of myofascial release and innovative tools I create a natural face lift, enviable glow, jawline and cheekbone definition, and improved clarity to the skin. The full treatment lasts approximately 60 minutes and primarily consists of a proprietary face massage. Here’s a snippet of the treatment below.