FitSugar

Darth Vader and Yoga: A Connection Through Breath

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:41:07 -0800

Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your movements.

It's called ujjayi pranayama (pronounced oo-jai pra-na-ya-ma). Some instructors call it "ocean breath," "victorious breath," or "Darth Vader breath." It is said that Yogis performing this breath alone can create enough heat to melt snow around them. If you walk into an Ashtanga yoga class, you will be overwhelmed with an amazing and powerful sound - it feels like the walls themselves are pulsing.

Basically you are turning your ordinary breath into an audible one. When you can hear your breath, it's easier to follow and concentrate on. You can focus on letting your inhalations and exhalations guide your movements - then it's kind of like a moving meditation.

Want to know how to have that audible breath? Then read more

Say out loud - "I love Yoga."
Now whisper the same words, "I love Yoga."
Keeping your mouth closed, slowly exhale out through your nose and whisper "I love Yoga," again. Now inhale and whisper the same phrase.
The breath is moving to the back of your throat and nose.
Now slowly inhale and whisper one syllable,"Love." Exhale and whisper out "Love."
When you're ready, practice breathing this way, through your nose, keeping the breath deep in the back of your throat.

This breath creates the rhythm you use to guide your yoga practice. Take long and deep breaths, and you'll feel its relaxing effects instantly.

Jellyfish stings

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:01:01 -0700

Overview

Definition
Poisonous Ingredient
Where Found
Symptoms
Home Treatment
Before Calling Emergency
Poison Control, or a local emergency number
What to expect at the emergency room
Expectations (prognosis)
References

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Jellyfish are sea creatures that have a nearly see-through (transparent) body with long finger-like structures called tentacles. Stinging cells inside the tentacles can hurt you if you come in contact with them. Some stings can cause serious harm.

Poisonous Ingredient

Jellyfish venom

Where Found

Types of jellyfish include:

Lion's mane (Cyanea capillata)
Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis)
Sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), one of the most common jellyfish found along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
Sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri, Chiropsalmus quadrigatus), found near the coasts of northern Australia and the Philippines

Note: This list is not all inclusive.

Symptoms

Portuguese man-of-war:

Abdominal pain
Changes in pulse
Chest pain
Headache
Muscle pain and muscle spasms
Numbness and weakness
Pain in the arms or legs
Raised red spot where stung
Runny nose and watery eyes
Swallowing difficulty
Sweating

Sea wasp:

Breathing trouble
Nausea and vomiting
Severe pain and swelling
Slow heart beat
Skin tissue death

Lion's mane:

Breathing trouble
Muscle cramps
Skin burning and blistering (severe)

Sea nettle

Mild skin rash (with mild stings)
Muscle cramps and breathing trouble (with extensive contact)

Home Treatment

Seek immediate medical attention. Death can occur within minutes with sea wasp and lion's mane stings.

If you know for certain that the person has been stung by a Portuguese man-of-war or sea nettle, wash with salt water (ocean water is OK, but make sure you do NOT get sand in the wound). Protect affected area if possible. Soak the area with a solution made of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water for about 30 minutes. This helps remove the tentacles. Rinse the area and then resoak with more 1/2 strength vinegar.

(You may also remove tentacles by applying a paste made of flour or shaving cream and scraping the area with a dull instrument such as a credit card.)

Apply a cream containing a painkiller, an antihistamine, or a corticosteroid.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of the marine animal if possible
Time stung

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The patient may receive:

Breathing assistance
Antiserum (for sea wasp stings)

Expectations (prognosis)

Portuguese man-of-war and sea nettle stings are rarely deadly. Sea wasp stings can be deadly in minutes.

References

Marx J. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001.

Review Date: 10/24/2007

Reviewed By: Stephen C. Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_002845

Fit Gift Guide: Surfer Betty

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0800

The surfers I know live and breathe the sport, so giving a gift that supports their hang-loose hobby will be sure to please any surf-loving Betty in your life. From the home to the ocean, I've found a few fun presents that will make a surfer girl's holiday simply rad.

Ted Shreds Surf Wax Candle: A lot of surfers can't get to the beach as often as they'd like, and this tropical wax-scented candle will remind them of riding that beloved board. They won't have to worry about the 32-ounce candle burning too quickly, because its burn time is from 80-100 hours.
Robb Havassy Poster: This colorful poster would be a cool addition to a deserving wall, and part of the purchase proceeds goes to SurfAid International. A great gift and a good cause, all wrapped into one.
GoPro Sports Wrist Camera: This shockproof/waterproof wrist camera is ideal for surfing and other outdoor sports. It can be used up to 100 feet underwater and can pivot upright for capturing videos or photos on the fly. The miniature gadget will make riding waves with friends even more fun.

Yoga Explained: Bandhas

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

If you go to a yoga class, the instructor might mention your bandhas, so I thought you might want to know what and where they are.

Bandha is a Sanskrit word meaning "lock," "seal," or "bind." There are 3 bandhas, and they are basically muscular contractions that help you to breathe, focus on your awareness, keep your body strong, and give you a sense of lightness as you move through postures.

Need more of an explanation of all 3 bandhas? Then read more

Mula bandha (moola = root; bandha = lock) - the steady contraction & lifting of the perineum (the muscle between your genitals and anus). It's like a Kegel exercise. It's the muscles you'd engage if you were peeing and you wanted to stop mid-stream. As you hold these, you keep the energy and the breath lifting up towards your belly. Holding moolah bandha gives you lightness and lift, and will help you to float through your yoga practice.

Uddiyana bandha [u-Deeyaana = upward-flying; bandha = lock] - the muscular contraction 4 inches below the navel. It's basically like you are pulling your belly button up and in towards your spine. This helps you to bring the breath all the way up into your rib cage, above your navel. As you breathe, you keep your belly still and expand and contract through your chest instead.

Holding these 2 bandhas helps you to perform the Ujayi breath (that audible ocean breath, also called Darth Vader breath) properly. It also gives your core strength and stability. Engaging these muscles also helps to build your internal fire, which helps to warm your whole body, making your muscles more pliable.

Jalandhara bandha (jalun-Dara = throat; bandha = lock) - the contraction where you drop your chin towards your chest. This is supposed to prevent energy from escaping out of the upper body. You don't usually hear about this bandha too much. You only hold this bandha in certain poses.

In an Ashtanga yoga class, you try to hold the first 2 all throughout class. It's really difficult to hold them both for the entire 90 minute class, so I think of these bandhas more as a subtle and energetic lift of energy. It's an awareness of your lower body that keeps the muscles all the way from the base of your spine up into your belly engaged, so that you protect your spine and breath efficiently.

Fit's Tips: It takes time and practice to locate exactly what muscles you are supposed to be engaging, so don't get frustrated when you first start out. I would definitely recommend practicing these bandhas separately, without the poses. Then when you go to class, practice engaging them whenever you remember. Then soon it becomes second-nature, and your body just automatically holds these locks.

Yoga Breath: Kapalabhati

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:00:00 -0700

In yoga, breath is just as important as the postures. Linking your breath with your movement creates complete awareness. These breathing exercises are called Pranayama, which means breath control.

A while back I wrote about two different types of Pranayama. Ujayii (Ocean Breath) is used in Ashtanga Yoga throughout the entire 90 minute practice to keep your movements and your mind calm, steady and strong. The other, Sitali (Tongue Hissing), is a cooling breath used when feeling overheated or stressed.

Kapalabhati (Ka-pa-la-ba-ti) is another kind of pranayama, called the Cleansing Breath. It's a great breath to do if you are feeling foggy in the head, or if you have mucus in your lungs or nose. Kapalabhati gets rid of stagnant air in the body and awakens the senses.

Check out this video to see how it's done.

Want to know how to do it, then read more

I like to do this breath right before or after lying down in Savasana (Corpse pose). Begin in a comfortable seated position.
Breathe normally through your nose for a few breaths, keeping your mouth closed. Then take a normal breath in and begin taking short, rapid exhalations out of your nose (as if you were blowing your nose). This will pump out the breath and your inhales will happen automatically. You'll feel your belly pulling in with each exhalation (you can watch yourself in a mirror to see). Continue pumping out these quick and fast exhalations for as long as you want. I usually do it for 30 seconds or so.
End by exhaling all the air out and then go back to regular calm breathing through your nose. You can repeat this Kapalabhati Pranayama again if you like, but each time you finish a round, make sure to follow it with regular breathing.

Fit's Tips: You can take the exhalations at any speed you want. If you do it too fast, you might get dizzy. If this happens, just slow down the Kapalabhati or go back to regular breathing.

Poisoning - fish and shellfish

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:01:06 -0700

Overview

Definition
Alternative Names
Poisonous Ingredient
Where Found
Symptoms
Home Treatment
Before Calling Emergency
Poison Control, or a local emergency number
What to expect at the emergency room
Expectations (prognosis)

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

This article describes a group of different conditions caused by eating contaminated fish and seafood. The most common of these are Ciguatera poisoning, Scombroid poisoning, and various shellfish poisonings.

Alternative Names

Fish poisoning; Dinoflagellate poisoning; Seafood contamination; Paralytic shellfish poisoning; Ciguatera poisoning

Poisonous Ingredient

In Ciguatera poisoning, the poisonous ingredient is ciguatoxin. This is a poison made in small amounts by certain algae and algae-like organisms called dinoflagellates. Small fish that eat the algae become contaminated. If larger fish eat a lot of the smaller, contaminated fish, the poison can build up to a dangerous level, which can make you sick if you eat the fish. Ciguatoxin is “heat-stable." That means it doesn’t matter how well you cook your fish, if the fish is contaminated, you will become poisoned.

In Scombroid poisoning, the poisonous ingredient is histamine and similar substances. Normal bacteria on these fish create large amounts of this toxin after the fish dies if it is not immediately refrigerated or frozen.

In shellfish poisoning, the poisonous ingredients are toxins made by algae-like organisms called dinoflagellates, which build up in some types of seafood. There are many different types of shellfish poisoning. The most well known types are paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning and amnestic shellfish poisoning.

Where Found

Ciguatera poisoning normally occurs in larger fish from warm tropical waters. The most popular types of these fish that are eaten include sea bass, grouper, and red snapper. In the United States, the waters around Florida and Hawaii have the highest potential for contaminated fish. The risk is greatest in the summer months, or any time a large amount of algae are blooming in the ocean, such as during “"red tide." A red tide occurs when there is a rapid increase in the amount of dinoflagellates in the water. However, today’s transportation means that anyone around the world may be sitting down to a dinner from a fish from contaminated waters.

Scombroid poisoning usually occurs in large dark meat fish such as tuna, mackerel, mahi mahi, and albacore. Since this poison develops after a fish is caught and dies, where the fish is caught doesn’t really matter. The main factor is how long the fish sits out before being refrigerated or frozen.

Like Ciguatera poisoning, most shellfish poisonings occur in warmer waters. However, poisonings have occurred as far north as Alaska and frequently in New England. In addition, most shellfish poisonings occur during the summer months. You may have heard the saying “Never eat seafood in months that don’t have the letter R." This includes May through August. The number of poisonings also increases when there is a "red tide." Shellfish poisoning occurs in seafood with two shells such as clams, oysters, mussels, and sometimes scallops.

Symptoms

The harmful substances that cause Ciguatera, Scombroid, and shellfish poisoning are heat stable, so no amount of cooking will protect you from becoming poisoned if you eat fish that is contaminated. Symptoms depend on the specific type of poisoning.

Ciguatera poisoning symptoms can occur anywhere from 2 to 12 hours after eating the fish. They include:

Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea (severe and watery)
Nausea
Vomiting

Shortly after these symptoms develop, you will start to have strange sensations, which may include:

A feeling that your teeth are loose and about to fall out
Confusing hot and cold temperatures (for instance, you will feel that an ice cube is burning you, while a match is freezing your skin)
Headache (probably the most common)
Low heart rate and low blood pressure (in very severe cases)
Metallic taste in the mouth

Scombroid poisoning symptoms usually occur immediately after eating the fish. They may include:

Breathing problems (in severe cases)
Extremely red skin on face and body
Flushing
Hives and itching
Nausea
Vomiting

There are different types of shellfish poisoning. Below are the most well known types and their symptoms.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning: About 30 minutes after eating contaminated seafood you may have numbness or tingling in your mouth. This sensation may spread down to your arms and legs. You may become very dizzy, have a headache, and, in some cases, your arms and legs may become temporarily paralyzed. Some people may also have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, although these symptoms are much less common.

Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning: The symptoms are very similar to Ciguatera poisoning. After eating contaminated clams or mussels, you will most likely experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms will be followed shortly by strange sensations that may include numbness or tingling in your mouth, headache, dizziness, and hot and cold temperature reversal.

Amnestic shellfish poisoning: This is a strange and rare form of poisoning that begins with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which is followed by short-term memory loss, as well as other less frequent neurologic symptoms.

Home Treatment

Shellfish poisoning may be a medical emergency. With sudden or significant symptoms, the person should be taken immediately to an emergency medical center. You may need to call the local emergency number (such as 911) or Poison Control for appropriate treatment information

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Type of fish eaten
Time it was eaten
Amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

See: Poison control center - emergency number

What to expect at the emergency room

If you have Ciguatera poisoning, you may receive:

Medicines to stop vomiting
Fluids by IV (to replace fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea)
A medication called Mannitol to help reduce neurological symptoms

If you have Scombroid poisoning, you may receive:

An antihistamine medication, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Fluids by IV (to replace fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea)
Medicines to stop vomiting
Medicines to treat severe allergic reactions (if needed)
Breathing tube (in rare cases)

If you have shellfish poisoning, you may receive:

Medicines to stop vomiting
Fluids by IV (to replace fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea)

If shellfish poisoning causes paralysis, you may have to remain in the hospital until your symptoms improve.

Expectations (prognosis)

Fish and shellfish poisonings occur on occasion in the United States. You can protect yourself by avoiding fish and seafood caught in and around the areas of a known red tide, and by avoiding clams, mussels, and oysters during the summer months. If you are poisoned, your long-term outcome is usually quite good.

Scombroid poisoning symptoms usually only last for a few hours after medical treatment has begun. Ciguatera poisoning and the various shellfish poisoning symptoms may last from days to weeks depending on the severity of the poisoning. Only very rarely have serious outcomes or death occurred.

Since these poisons are heat stable, there is no way for the person who prepares the food to know that their food is contaminated. Therefore, it is very important that your doctor tell the restaurant that their food is contaminated so that they may throw it away before other persons become sick. Your doctor should also contact the Department of Health to make sure that the suppliers providing the contaminated fish are identified, and all possibly contaminated fish from the same lot are destroyed.

Review Date: 5/20/2008

Reviewed By: Stephen C Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_002851