The core stabilizing routine is nothing fancy: most of you will have performed all of these exercises before. The trick is to do them every single day without fail and in the order given. Once you have done this sequence a few times, you will have it memorized — and all you need is a little floor space. The first 7 exercises are done standing, the second 7 on the floor. Here they are:

1) Standing tall, pull the tailbone back and the heart forward, letting your arms and head dangle. If possible, keep the back of the legs straight, and reach for the floor. You can rest your hands on your thighs or shins, or, if your hamstrings are flexible, plop your palms on the floor. Breathe into the stretch for 4-5 breaths then roll up the spine, leaving the head to lift last.

2) Hold lightly onto the edge of a table or chair back and, one leg at a time, press the back of the leg away, pushing away from the back of the heel. Don’t sway to the side. Stay upright, as though you were toning your bottom on the side of the leg pressing back, which is in fact what you are doing. Go for about 15 push-backs on one side, then switch legs. Stay upright on the standing leg and push the working leg straight back.

3) Same idea, but now moving the leg to the side, leading with the baby-toe edge of the foot, one leg at a time. About 15 times on each side. Towards the end of the sequence you should feel a little burn in the working muscles.

4) Standing tall but with the knees slightly flexed, toes pointed straight forward, twist at the waist and punch both hands behind you at just above waist level. Look towards your punch. Repeat on the other side. Left and right counts as “one.” Repeat the 2-sided twist 10 times.

5) Standing tall feet slightly apart, knees slightly bent, push your hips right and lean your upper body over to the left as far as possible without making this a forward bend. It’s strictly a side bend. If possible, add the weight of your arm. So, if your body is side bending to the left, your right arm will reach up and over your right ear, reaching to the left. Repeat 5 times in a row on one side, then 5 times in a row on the other side.

6) Simple hamstring stretch: put one foot at a time up on a chair or table, turn your body square to the up-stretched leg, then reach forward for that foot with both hands. You can rest your hands on the shin too. Breathe a few times, always directing the breath to the area of the leg (usually the back or side) that feels tight. Repeat with the other leg.

7) Standing tall, bend one knee, heel towards the butt, and catch the foot with one or both hands. If not wanting to practice balance, keep the free hand on the table or chair back. If your quads are not tight, you can increase this stretch by pulling the heel into the butt and/or pressing the bend leg hip forward a bit. Repeat on the other leg.

8 ) Now to the floor. The next 2 exercises are crunches, and it’s all downhill from there! First, do NOT heave your chest up to the thighs with crunches. That is BAD for your low back. You are on your back, knees bent and feet at least hip width apart, not far from the buttocks. Lift your head and shoulder blades off the floor and place your fingertips behind and slightly above your ears. Try to keep your shoulder blades off the floor throughout this exercise. The idea is to tone the abdominal muscles, which means tightening them. This is a horizontal move. By that I mean you slide the bottom of your ribcage towards the hip bones on the exhale. Inhale relax but don’t lie down. Stay up and perform 20 to 80 of these sliding crunches. Towards the end of your sequence you should start to feel a little burn in the abs.

9) Stay in the crunch position and begin bicycling the legs, stretching way out through the heels. The more your feet point to the ceiling, the easier. As you lower your legs to the floor you will feel more strain. Do not strain! You want to challenge, but NOT re-injure yourself! If the bicycling is OK, you can then b ring the elbows to the opposite knees, one at a time. Left and right is one round. Go for 10 to 40 rounds. Then relax.

10) Hug your knees to your chest. Breathe several deep breaths.

11) Place your feet on the floor, at least hip width apart, and lift your hips to make a flat diagonal plane with your front body. Lower, and repeat for a total of 3-4 times.

12) Roll up to sitting and stretch out one leg long in front of you. Bend the other leg, placing that foot on the upper inner thigh of the long leg. Turn towards the long leg and reach for the foot or shin with both hands. Breathe a few times and repeat on the other side.

13) Find a comfortable cross-legged position, sit tall and twist to the right, putting your left hand on the outside of the right knee to help strengthen the twist. Repeat on the other side.

14) Both legs long in front of you on the floor, reach your hand up and, leading with your heart, reach for the feet or shins with both hands. On the inhale expand the ribcage, and on the exhale undulate your chest closer to the knees. Take several breaths here. That’s it! You are saving your low back! Good job!

Two friends, Linda and Jenna, who work at Rainbow Foods in beautiful downtown Juneau, Alaska, agreed to pick out a few quirky popular requests from customers and pass them along to me. “It’s amazing how often people want to know about probiotics.  A lot of folks really don’t know what that means,” said Jenna.

Probiotics can sometimes be understood as the “opposite” of antibiotics, but really the term covers much more territory.  In the mucous-membrane covered tube that runs from your mouth to your rectum live a host of healthy bacteria which helps you to break down and assimilate your food.

The stomach, near the top of the tube, is designed to be very acidic, especially right after eating.  The pH (acidity) of the stomach should reach 1 or 2 (like vinegar) when filled with food for several reasons.  First, the acid helps to break down protein into amino acids, which are the building blocks of all bodily compounds (cells and tissues).  Second, the stomach acid helps sterilize food so pathogenic bugs don’t infect the gut or get into the bloodstream.  Third, without a nice acidic bolus of food passing into the upper small intestine, the pancreas is not adequately triggered to secrete pancreatic enzymes (amylase and lipase), nor the neutralizing bicarbonate of soda (the broken down food must be neutral in pH — around 7.4 — before it can be absorbed into the blood), nor does the pancreas secrete insulin properly without adequate stomach acid.

Acid-loving probiotics (such as the most famous of them, Lactobaccilus acidophilus) live up high in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract.  Further down the GI, the pH becomes increasingly more basic.  By the time we get to the colon (also known as the large intestine, a 6 foot long upside down “U” shaped wide gauge hollow organ which resorbs water and compacts waste) the pH is about 9, and thus harbors a completely different species of probiotics: the bidifo bacterium.  Unfortunately many antibiotic treatments (given by prescription for bacterial infections) will kill not only the target “bad” bugs but also the “good” bugs that live in the GI.

Killing off the healthy probiotics not only compromises the ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients from your food, but also promotes the overgrowth of fungal species (such as Candida albicans) that lives in the GI.   A certain amount of Candida is normal in the gut; but it must be kept in balance with the probiotics.  Health is almost always about balance and moderation.

Look for complete probiotics (multiple species) containing billions of microorganisms per dose.  Many good probiotics also contain FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) which “feed” the probiotics and help get them established in your gut, or my prefered pre-biotic, Lactoferrin, which is thought to not feed any lurking bad bugs.

Linda said, “Lots of people come in wanting to know more about “cleansing” and often I realize they are just embarrassed to admit they are constipated.”  There are many types of herbal laxative products, and they can be fairly harsh.  The active ingredient of bowel stimulants is often a phytochemical called anthraquinone, and is found in Cascara sagrada, Senna, Aloe and Rhubarb.

I am a big fan of regular bowel movements.   Ideally 2 or 3 daily, but at least one-a-day to prevent building up waste.   I will often teach patients the concept of “adult potty training” which means learning proper bowel habits all over again.  You must make time to defecate – even if the urge is not spontaneous and strong.  You simply must prioritize time in your life to “relax” into this important daily occurrence.  Squatting is a much more natural position for opening the bowels than sitting.   To simulate squatting, place your feet on a low stool (or “Welles” step) and lean forward onto your thighs.  Stay well hydrated.  Find time either after breakfast or after dinner every day and sit there, with reading material if necessary, for at least 20 minutes until your body “gets it.”

If no bowel movement is produced with adequate water intake (yes, 6-8 cups), relaxed time on the potty, some form of daily exercise and a high fiber diet, then it’s time to bring on the laxatives.   If you feel as though the bowel movement is stuck down low, a Fleet enema or glycerine suppository may be all that is required to help the BM slide out.

By the way, if it sinks right to the bottom of the toilet bowl, it has been in there too long.  The ideal stool is dark brown, half floating and half sinking, passes easily and doesn’t smell too bad.

If you feel constipated higher up, the laxative probably needs to come down from the top.  On any day not having a bowel movement consider taking some kind of laxative at bedtime to ensure a movement the next day.  Please do not go more than 2 days without pooping.   I prefer soaked prunes or figs (just soaked in plain water and kept, covered, in the fridge as a tasty dessert) to anthraquinone laxatives but some folks will prefer a capsule or to avoid the intense sweetness of the re-hydrated dried fruit.

Some seekers of “cleansing” are looking for a detox program — but that generally starts with bowel elimination since this is our major way to detoxify daily.  There are many excellent cleansing programs available in fine healthfood stores, and most will offer bowel as well as liver, lymph, lung, kidney and skin cleansing phases.

Your healthfood store employees, particularly those who have been working in the industry for at least a few years, will often have tried these products themselves, or work with local nutritionists or naturopaths to choose a range of high quality products — so they are good resources in providing guidance for your quest to better health.  Just one word of caution.  A healthfood store employee is definitely not trained to diagnose disease, and you should be cautious, and not make therapeutic decisions based on any such pronouncements.

Linda also said.  “We sell a range of Chinese herbs (at Rainbow Foods) and I hear two phrases from people who use acupuncturists.  They come in saying they need to “build their blood” or that they have “stagnation.”   I’m not exactly sure what these mean.   Can you translate?”

Blood building, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) refers to reversing anemia.  Often a woman who menstruates heavily will become anemic.  Of course more serious causes of blood loss, such as internal hemorrhage, can quickly cause anemia and must be treated as an emergency.

Blood is created in the bone marrow, and requires optimal intake of iron-rich foods including meat, spinach, kale, sea vegetables, sardines, red grapes and the herb Yellow dock (Rumex crispus).  Plant tannins, found in high concentration in black tea, will bind iron and should be avoided if you are anemic and trying to build your blood.   Supplemental iron, about 25-50 mg daily, is also very helpful.   I prefer liquid forms of iron as they tend to constipate less than the drugstore ferrous sulfate variety.  If you are only mildly anemic, you can cook in cast iron cookware or take supplemental iron during your menses only.  Do not take iron unless you have a proven iron-deficiency because excess iron can promote viral infections.  People with HIV or Hep C should be cautious about supplementing with iron.

“Stagnation” is the principal pathology in TCM.   Health is “flow.”   Disease, or lack of health, is thought to be caused by stagnation.   In TCM, the stagnation is generally “Qi” stagnation, but you can think of this as impedance in the flow of blood, or nerve conductivity, or gastric juices, or just a broader concept of
internal energy stagnation.   The main purpose of acupuncture needles is to re-stimulate the flow of Qi (pronounced “chee” and meaning Vital Force, or as naturopaths call it, the “Vis”, short for Vis Medicatrix Naturae — Latin for the healing power of Nature.)

I hang out at the healthfood store near my office on a regular basis.   Not only can I get all my vibrant organic produce, bulk staples and trans-fat and artificial-colorant free treats there, but I learn a lot about what folks are doing day to day to commit to improved health and wellness.   And this fills me with hope
and affection for my fellow humans.

Long known as a whole-body tonic (the root plant, precious for centuries in Asian countries, is shaped like a person)

 new evidence validates and explains some of ginseng’s healing actions. 

In Chinese medicine, ginseng (Panax ginseng) has long been used as a general tonic or an adaptogen to promote longevity and enhance bodily functions. It has also been claimed to be effective in combating stress, fatigue, oxidants, cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Most previous studies have claimed that the pharmacological effects of ginseng are attributed to its bioactive constituents such as ginsenosides, saponins, phytosterols, peptides, polysaccharides, fatty acids, polyacetylenes, vitamins and minerals.  In this new research, the focus was the recent advances in the studies of ginsenosides on the formation of blood vessels, which is a common denominator of many diseases, such as cancer and some cardiovascular disorders.

Specifically, the root has been shown to inhibit new blood vessel growth in rapidly growing tissue: that is, tumors.  The medical term angiogenesis means the creation of new blood vessels, which is a critical aspect of how a tumor will successfully establish in, and invade, healthy tissue. 

Paradoxically, other components of ginseng have been found to enhance nitric oxide (a vasodilator) levels by promoting new vessel growth, enhancing wound healing, slowing dementia, slowing hair loss and reducing morbidity from various other diseases caused by poor circulation. 

The current research suggests that ginseng works as an adaptogen, that is, if new vessel growth is necessary, ginseng will promote that, but if new vessel growth would be harmful (such as in supplying a tumor) then such vascular growth would be inhibited.

Many of the Chinese tonics are adaptogens.  So is Vitamin K: mostly know as an antidote to the blood thinner Coumadin, Vitamin K can also normalize thick blood by reducing platelet stickiness.  Another action of ginseng explained in this recent article is how it acts as a proto-hormone, like the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. 

More than 30 ginsenosides (biological active components of the plant) have been isolated, and all have a steroid-like molecular structure.  This means one end of the molecule bonds to water-soluble substances (hydrophilic) and the other end of the molecule bonds to fat-soluble substances (hydrophobic) just like our cell membranes.  One reason steroids are so biologically active is that they can penetrate through the outer layer of our cell membranes (fatty cholesterol layer), through the watery center of the cell membrane, and into the center of the cell, where the nucleus and DNA can be affected.

The interaction between ginsenosides and various steroid hormone receptors in all of our many trillion cells, may explain the diverse activities of ginseng, which may eventually lead to further development of ginseng-derived therapeutics for diseases like cancer and dementia.

Q: I’ve heard that acupuncture helps with low back pain and other problems. But I just don’t get it. How does it work?

A: American doctors first learned about acupuncture from no less an authority than Sir Wiliam Osler, often considered the father of modern medicine. “For lumbago,” he counseled a century ago in his classic medical text, “acupunture is, in acute cases, the most efficient treatment.” (Lumbago is an old-fashioned term for low back pain.) Although many scientists are skeptical abut the benefits of acupunture, the specialty has gained an impressive following in this country. An estimated 15 millions Americans have tried it with varying degrees of success for chronic pain, fatigue, nausea, arthritis, digestive problems and a range of other ailments. One acupuncture researcher, a neurologist at the chronic pain program at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington D.C. claims that by providing short term relief, acupuncture frees pain patients to work on physical and behavioral problems that often perpetuate pain and dysfunction. Many patients with chronic low back pain find that acupuncture will help not only break the pain cycle, but allow them to reduce pain medications and participate more vigorously in physical therapy.It is difficult to understand how acupuncture works in terms of a biochemical model of health. All living beings are imbued by a “vital force” which is a manifestation of an inner energy that is more than synapsing neurotransmittors and vibrating molecules. This vital force, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is called “QI” (pronounced chee). Pain, or any physical dysfunction, is considered in Traditional Chinese Medicine to be due to stuck, or stagnant Qi. Here’s where the needles come in. First of all, they ought to be called filaments. They are extremely fine and nothing is injected through them. The sterile, disposable filaments act as conducting rods when inserted into the acupoints where Qi is stagnating. The metal will stimulate a current, similar to an electrical current, to galvanize the stuck energy to flow, thus restoring balance and harmony to the entire system. Some researchers say that acupuncture works in pain relief by blocking the electric currents in the pain pathways as they ascend through the spinal cord to the brain. In experiments with rabbits, rodents, cats, and humans, investigators have shown that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release endorphins and other chemicals that relieve pain. Endorphins, discovered in the mid-1970s, are chemically similar to morphine. This may be part of the story, but there is unquestionably an “energy” system which enlivens us, and which has not yet been totally dissected by modern science. A qualified acupuncturist is trained to assess where your Qi is stuck, and to stimulate the appropriate points and restore the healing flow. Although many patients will experience immediate relief from low back pain, or other complaints, with the first session, it is best to commit initially to 6 or 8 sessions within a short period of time before assessing whether or not it is working for you. Juneau is lucky to have several licensed acupuncturists who would be happy to answer more questions about this ancient and still safe and effective healing art.

Q: I’ve heard about acupuncture, and that it helps people to get better. But I just don’t get it. How does it work?

A: Good question, and it is hard to explain in terms of a biochemical model of health. All living beings are imbued by a “vital force” which can be seen, for example, as the light shining out of someone’s eyes. This is a manifestation of an inner energy that is more than synapsing neurotransmittors and vibrating molecules. This vital force, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is called “QI” (pronounced chee). The Qi flows through 12 major “meridians” which are like channels just below the surface of the skin, with branches penetrating into the vital organs. Each merdian is affiliated with a vital organ and set of bodily functions. Pain, or any physical dysfunction, is considered in Traditional Chinese Medicine to be due to stuck, or stagnant Qi. Here’s where the needles come in. First of all, they ought to be called filaments. They are extremely fine and nothing is injected through them. Along the meridians there are certain points, called acupoints, where the Qi gathers in tiny pools and thus offers places on the surface of the body for the corresponding organs to be stimulated. The sterile, disposable filaments act as conducting rods when inserted into the acupoints where Qi is stagnating. The metal will stimulate a current, similar to an electrical current, to galvanize the stuck energy to flow, thus restoring balance and harmony to the entire system. Some researchers say that acupuncture works in pain relief by blocking the electric currents in the pain pathways as they ascend through the spinal cord to the brain. This may be part of the story, but there is unquestionably an “energy” system which enlivens us, and which has not yet been totally dissected by modern science. A qualified acupuncturist is trained to assess where your Qi is stuck, and to stimulate the appropriate points and restore the healing flow. Juneau is lucky to have several licensed acupuncturists who would be happy to answer more questions about this ancient and still safe and effective healing art.