Have you ever been so stressed out that you can’t think straight? How helpful is the advice to “just breathe” from some well-meaning person? Or you do a quick Google search for taking that high anxiety down a notch, and your result is a picture of a perfect-appearing human in a perfect lotus pose, perfectly blissed out. Not real, not helpful, and, for my money, anxiety-promoting.

A useful strategy for pulling back from the stress-cliff is taking a peek around and becoming aware. If I’m outside, tuning in to the melodic birdsong from the branches overhead, breathing in the sharp evergreen scent, and gazing into the distance - at the Flat Tops or Emerald Mountain - is a sure way to pull me out of my head spin. Inside, I can feel the texture of the floor or the socks under my feet, and listen to the sounds around me - the blowing of the fireplace heat, the hum of the refrigerator.

This awareness, also called mindfulness, is one method of focusing the mind on something other than the stress/anxiety and instead bringing attention to what is actually happening around you in the moment. 

To deepen that, and apply not only to reducing anxiety and stress but reduce the monotony of the daily grind, you have something called “psychological richness.” Philosopher Lorraine Besser and psychologist Shigehiro Oishi have researched and defined the term to mean cognitive engagement. They found that for some, a psychologically rich life surpasses a meaningful or happy life.

The components of psychological richness:

1. Mindfulness 2.0. Paying attention with neutrality - noticing without judgment. That could mean taking in the details of a tree: the roughness and color of the bark, the length of the needles, any bird nests built in its branches. By focusing on the details, you stimulate the mind. 
2. Curiosity. Ask questions to take the mindful details a step further. How does the bark get its different shades of brown? How long did it take the birds to build that nest, and where did they gather those nest-construction materials? These simple questions help expand your perspective.
3. Creativity. Doing something new or differently generates novelty, another way to stimulate the mind. This could be something as simple as taking that walk with the trees and the birds at a different time of day than usual, or reversing the direction of your habitual route. It could mean stopping where you would not typically stop to take a look around and notice something in your surroundings you haven’t before. Breaking monotony, doing something a bit different, are ways to stimulate cognitive engagement.

Psychological richness is an individual concept in that each person will find engagement in their own way. The key is to start simple with using mindfulness 2.0, curiosity, and creativity. You can develop the capacity for psychological richness on a daily basis with small things like the examples above, and it can then be a tool at your fingertips for those stress-filled moments when you need an uncomplicated way to side-step the anxiety and focus on the here and now.

Source/Learn More

• Optimist Daily article: Transform your daily grind with 3 simple strategies for a more engaging life

My daughter and I are at the start of the Run Through Time trail half-marathon in Salida. It’s 30’, the sky is blue and we stand on a jeep road, reddish brown dirt peeking through a sprinkle of white snow. Someone yells “Start!” and we’re off, running along the road for a couple miles before heading uphill for the main course, 10-plus miles of single-track which includes 1800 feet of climbing. Charlotte runs with me at first, with the plan being for her to take off at her own pace when we hit the trail. We start up a small hill and I drop back so fast it’s like I’m suddenly towing a one-ton lead weight. Charlotte turns to look for me, wondering what happened to her mom. 

Is this a lack of fitness? A loss of power at my “advanced” age of 57? Though I hate to admit it, I am sucking wind. That one-ton weight seems to be my respiration - or lack thereof.

Breathing is not a thing most of us think about too much. It kind of happens in the background, only taking prime position if we’re dealing with a respiratory illness or a broken rib, when every breath brings pain. But on the day of this race, my breathing was a priority because it was such a struggle. Each inhale felt like I was trying to make it over the speed bump in my solar plexus/diaphragm area. So, in the weeks post-race, I decided to delve into this thing we call breathing.

What is so great about breathing (besides the obvious)? Some of the many benefits of breathing: lessens anxiety, increases immune system response, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, reduces cortisol, enhances calm, and increases energy. It also interplays with how well you move - your body mechanics, thus potentially leading to injury prevention. A focus on breath with something like a headache or back pain can also shift your brain’s perception of that pain, thereby reducing the pain you feel or experience.

The breath itself is much more than the in and the out: oxygen in, carbon dioxide out is not the whole story. 

Let’s start with carbon dioxide. It is not simply a waste product. It is actually the existence of carbon dioxide in our systems (causing decreased blood pH, higher acidity) that causes the hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells that carry the oxygen molecules) to release the oxygen to the cells. This is known as the Bohr effect. So we could inhale more than adequate O2, but if there isn’t enough CO2 in our system we don’t reap all that O2 we breathe in. Our CO2 tolerance is key to maximizing oxygen delivery to the cells - and it is something we can increase.

Here are some suggestions to improve breathing:

• Nasal breathe. The gold standard of breathing - our nose acts as a filter, and warms and moisturizes the air before it enters the lungs. When breathing through the nose, nitric oxide, a vasodilator, is released in the nasal cavity - this widens the blood vessels, allowing more oxygen to reach the cells. 
• Lighten up. Allowing the breath to flow easily and lightly to fill the torso (belly, ribs and chest expanding from the inside out). You can do this sitting, standing, even while walking.
• Slow it down. Longer exhales help with that CO2 tolerance, and thus greater oxygen delivery to the cells.
• Breath holds. Inhale lightly, exhale lightly, hold the nose and count to 5. Release, take in a normal breath or two, and then repeat. Eventually increasing the count as you get more comfortable.
• Walking breath holds. Same as above but while walking.
• Take a test. Try measuring your BOLT (Body Oxygen Level Test) score here. This will give you an idea of where you are. You can retest after using the breathing exercises to see your improvement. My current BOLT is a 15, and normal is 30-40! The great thing is that this is something I can improve by using these methods and more.

While training for the Run Through Time, nasal breathing was a staple in many of my runs. I combined longer miles with plenty of hills and nasal breathing and what did I get? A very slow time. I’m grateful for the anonymity the darkness of my early morning starts provides me.  Clearly, the nasal breathing alone wasn’t enough to help with my breathing during the race itself. 

Charlotte finished a full hour ahead of me. Most of this is due to the fact that she is a very strong and capable runner. But I hold the hope that bettering my breathing means I could shave a few minutes off that hour next year.

My next step is to build my CO2 tolerance. When I even think about having to hold a bit longer before inhaling my panic button is pushed. So I am taking baby steps. Hold that exhale just a bit longer. Take an extra count or two before inhaling. The key is daily consistency and awareness. Breathing is a workable skill - at any age. Perhaps you, too, will be motivated to get better at breathing while getting older.


Sources/Learn More

• Built to Move by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett. Vital Sign 2, pages 52-75.
• The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown.

Ice or Heat?
You hurt your shoulder playing tennis or pickleball, your lower back aches from a long season of snow-shoveling, you twisted your ankle running after your grandkid. Should you hit the jacuzzi or grab your ice pack?

Generally, acute injuries (those that occur suddenly and often cause severe pain) should be treated with ice in the first 72 hours in order to reduce pain and inflammation. Chronic pain is often relieved by the use of heat - ideally moist heat - to reduce the stiffness. When recovering from acute injury, once the inflammation is significantly reduced, contrast therapy (ice:heat:ice) can be helpful to encourage healing.

How does ice work?
Ice constricts blood vessels and numbs nerves. In the initial stage of an injury, the body’s inflammatory response sends chemicals to the site. By reducing blood flow we slow that response and reduce the swelling. The numbing of the nerves reduces pain. 
Methods of icing include: cold packs, frozen bags of veggies, ice massage (using an ice cube directly on the injury), and frozen dixie cup (same as ice massage but you peel down the dixie cup from the frozen water inside). For lower limb or hand/wrist injuries, my favorite method is to submerge the injured part in a bucket or pot of ice water, completely immersing the tissues. 
With icing there are four stages of sensation, known as CBAN: Cold, Burning, Aching, Numbing. As soon as you feel the numbing, remove the ice to prevent damaging the tissues. Length of time varies - it is individual to the person and the method. 
Keep in mind that icing for acute injuries works well with consistency over time. For example, aim for 20 minutes (this may involve off and on again with the ice), 2 - 3 x per day for 5 days.

How does heat work?
Heat encourages circulation, blood flow that brings fresh oxygen and nutrients, and carries away waste products. Heat eases stiffness and allows for more fluid movement. 
Moist heat is best for the tissues as it penetrates more deeply than dry heat. 
Methods include hot showers, baths, jacuzzis, and heat packs that are warmed in the microwave. You can even wet a towel, wring it out, and microwave the towel. 
Time again will vary according to the person and the method, and consistency over time is a factor in success.

What is contrast therapy?
Once an injury has moved beyond the acute inflammation stage, contrast therapy can bump up the healing process. 
You always start and finish with ice, and use a time ratio of 1:2:1. For example, ice for 5 minutes, heat for 10 minutes, ice for 5 minutes. 
You can repeat several cycles, the main thing is to always start and finish with ice.

How does contrast therapy work?
When you apply the ice you are constricting the blood vessels. When you then apply the heat, the blood vessels dilate so there is increased blood flow to the area, and when you follow with the ice you are constricting once again, to continue to reduce inflammation and pain. It is like turning a hose on and off, creating a pump to get things moving in and out; that blood flow is bringing fresh nutrients and taking away waste products from the tissues. 
You can read more in this article: Cleveland Clinic How to Choose Between Ice and Heat.

The study linked below compared three different treatment groups for relief from low back pain. One group applied heat with naproxen, another ice with naproxen, and the third group used just naproxen alone. The researchers checked in with subjects four times over two weeks. The pain was most reduced with the heat and naproxen group, closely followed by those applying ice with naproxen. The conclusion was that hydrotherapy played a significant role in pain reduction. All groups had a decrease in pain over the two weeks. The study noted that a key factor was the consistency of the application of the thermotherapy or cryotherapy over time. 
Study: The Efficacy of Thermotherapy and Cryotherapy on Pain Relief in Patients with Acute Low Back Pain

Originally published Feb 2023

​Music speaks to us through the entirety of our lives. It brings us back to a time and place, it lulls us to sleep. It can make our workouts more fun, and it can provide the perfect ambiance to an evening of conversation.

Music plays a large part in the work I do. A variety of instrumental folk music supports the relaxation of clients on my massage table. In Essentrics, the music helps us move more fluidly as when increasing movement through the torso, with more purpose as we do plies and leg toning, and with ease during our final stretch. Throughout the workout, our brains are working to match pacing and movements to the music - great for both body and brain health.

Music can also help with specific conditions. In this National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Article: Music and Health, the many benefits of music-based intervention are documented in scientific reviews. Here are a few:

• Improves depression
• Decreases pain
• Decreases anxiety
• Decreases stress
• Supports gait and walking for those with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease
• Supports emotional well-being, mood, and quality of life in those with dementia and Alzheimer’s

Our brains benefit from music whether we listen to it, play an instrument, or sing. In this Johns Hopkins Medicine Article: Keep Your Brain Young With Music, one suggestion is listening to your children’s or grandchildren’s music in order to benefit your brain. We can become stuck in a groove (pardon the pun) if we continue to listen to the same music we are comfortable with. Listening to, or learning, new genres helps us stay young. My daughter and I listen to her playlists on all of our road trips, so I feel confident that my brain is learning new music and words every time we travel together.

Music helps us remember things - and not just time and place memories. Think of all the jingles from old television commercials - you probably still know every word. Or songs we learned as children that we can instantly recall even if we haven’t heard them in years. One of my favorite silly songs starts out: “I went to the animal fair…” Do you remember the rest of the words? Here’s a video to help you out: The Animal Fair.

Whether you play, sing, listen, hum or whistle a tune, or tap on the steering wheel while waiting for the light to turn green, music enhances our lives.

Originally published March, 2023