Life Moves©
Self-Care And Wellness News Vol. 2,
No.3 September 1999
Alexander
Technique and Bruce Kodish Featured in New Book
Healing With Motion, brought
out this year by Rodale Press, the Publishers of Prevention Magazine,
provides hundreds of "gentle techniques to disease-proof your body". The
book has chapters alphabetically arranged on such subjects as Adult Attention
Deficit Disorder, Hip Pain and Yoga. The book features a chapter on the
Alexander Technique which is headlined as a "Low Sweat Solution". I was
consulted for the chapter and include an excerpt from my interview here:
"The Alexander Technique is a posture
and movement based practice, so the health benefits you'll get from taking
lessons in the technique really center on any part of the body affected
by posture, including the spine, neck and chest area.
Lengthening the spine and neck is a powerful way to maintain a healthy back and prevent back troubles in the future, says Bruce I. Kodish, P.T., Ph.D., a physical therapist and certified Alexander Technique teacher in the Los Angeles area. That's because keeping the spine lengthened protects the posterior ligaments and other supporting structures that run along the back of the spine and hold the vertebral disks in place.
'Habitually collapsing forward, as many of us do, may eventually overstretch the structures in the lower back,' says Dr. Kodish.Stretched-out or weakened tissues in that rear position may make so-called slipped disks more likely to happen, according to Dr. Kodish."
The article also features interviews with Alexander Technique teachers Diana Mullman and Michael Gelb. Healing With Motion, is available in bookstores
and provides a useful and readable reference for your healthcare library.
Holism
In The Head
In the interest of healthy fun and not taking health
matters so seriously, here's one of my favorite 'grouches', Calvin Trillin,
on the subject of holistic health: "I've decided to skip 'holistic'. I
don't know what it means and I don't want to know. That may seem extreme,
but I followed the same strategy toward 'Gestalt' and the Twist, and lived
to tell the tale."
Have
A Great Time!
One of the best things
that you can do for your health, including a healthy back, is to have fun!
Wellness expert, Daniel
Ardell, Ph.D. suggests that you "do what you must to experience multiple
little pleasures daily. Or, multiple huge pleasures daily!" He also advises
that "laughter and assorted pleasures strengthen your immune system, metabolize
bad vibes and act in 1,001 ways to make your everyday life richer and fuller."
Important note: This material
is meant for your information and not intended to substitute for evaluation
or
treatment by a physician or
other health-care professional.
Copyright
Conditions: This material is copyright by Bruce I. Kodish.
However, permission is hereby granted to download, copy
and distribute the
text to others if (1) the text is not altered, and (2)
there is no charge to
the recipient, and (3) this copyright notice and conditions
are attached.
It is a copyright violation to distribute this material
in any way for which
remuneration is received without the prior permission
of Bruce I. Kodish.
Contact: backsolutions@aol.com Return
to Top of Page
Return to Back Pain Solutions Newsletter Archive