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About Me

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Burlington, Ontario, Canada
I choose to focus training and nutrition on the individual. I believe in a totally holistic approach emcompassing body, mind and soul and the interaction between them. Utilizing the disciplines of weight-training , pilates, ballet and yoga to ease pain, heal injuries and strengthen the body,and the spirit. Never give up! Never step down!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Resilience



Part of what inspired me to pursue the study of psychology and counseling is the experience of seeing people respond differently to the same situation: whether the circumstance is heavy traffic or a bone-shattering car accident, some people respond by meeting stressors with strength and perhaps growing from the experience while others may become undone by similar circumstances. So far, my favorite branch of psychology--positive psychology--has come up with a few answers. (Read more on stress and resilience.) To my delight, another study has shed new light on the origin of personal resilience.
According to a new study by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill psychologist and colleagues, people who seed their life with frequent moments of positive emotions increase their resilience against challenges.

"This study shows that if happiness is something you want out of life, then focusing daily on the small moments and cultivating positive emotions is the way to go," said Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences and the principal investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory, in a press release. "Those small moments let positive emotions blossom, and that helps us become more open. That openness then helps us build resources that can help us rebound better from adversity and stress, ward off depression and continue to grow."

In the month long study, 86 participants were asked to submit daily "emotion reports," rather than answering general questions on their happiness history.

"Getting those daily reports helped us gather more accurate recollections of feelings and allowed us to capture emotional ups and downs," said Fredrickson, a leading expert in the field of positive psychology.

Amassing a daily collection of positive emotions does not require banishing negative emotions, she said. I particularly like this finding because it helps clarify a 'sticking point' for many: it's okay to feel less-than-positive emotions! (In fact, denying that we feel 'negative' emotions can hamper our ability to cope with them in a healthy way, and can rob us of the 'gifts' they often bring--clarity, motivation for change, etc.)

As with changing one's diet , exercise regime or other lifestyle areas, it's simpler and more effective to add what you want more of (whether it's recognition of positive events in your life, or a diet richer in fruits and vegetables) thank to focus on 'giving up' things that are hard to relinquish (from moods to foods).

Fredrickson elaborated, "The levels of positive emotions that produced good benefits weren't extreme. Participants with average and stable levels of positive emotions still showed growth in resilience even when their days included negative emotions."

Fredrickson recommends focusing on the "micro-moments" that can help unlock one positive emotion here or there.

A lot of times we get so wrapped up in thinking about the future and the past that we are blind to the goodness we have in front of us at this moment.
As the saying goes " the past is history, the future a mystery, that's why we call the present "THE PRESENT".

I am grateful for the wonders and moments I have before me today!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010


The Net Bridge Offers New Way to Repair Torn Rotator Cuff

A torn rotator cuff can be an aggravating and disabling injury for many athletes. In the worst tears, traditional surgical repair is the standard treatment. Unfortunately, nearly fifteen percent of these traditional repairs fail and patients will need additional surgery.

A new surgical procedure called the Net Bridge may change the way rotator cuff repairs are done. The technique, developed by L.A. Dodgers' team doctor, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, has shown promising results so far. The Net Bridge repairs the torn rotator cuff tendon by placing small anchors in the bone and attaching a special fiber-tape that looks and acts like a compression net over the torn tendon, affixing it to the bone. Rather than having one point of attachment, the net provides even distribution of fixation over a large area, and provides more protection and strength of the repair.

So far, the Net Bridge has been successful. According to Dr. ElAttrache, there is a much lower risk of re-injuring the shoulder with the Net Bridge procedure than with traditional repairs and most patients are able to resume activities within six weeks of the surgery.

Don't forget that the best injury treatment is still prevention. To help prevent shoulder pain and injury write me for a complete exercise program to prevent or heal shoulder injuries.