Olga (15 page)

Exercise For Strengthening Outer Thigh Muscles

These exercises will help to develop strong muscles for good balance. If your neck is uncomfortable, place a rolled towel under your
head.

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Lie straight on left side with your spine in a neutral position, pelvis perpendicular to the floor

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Raise right leg straight from hip, upward as high as possible; try for 90 ° angle

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Raise right leg up and down 30 times

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Repeat exercise on right side, raising left leg straight from your hip up as high as possible

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Raise left leg up and down 30 times

I believe these last two exercises will help to strengthen the leg muscles and help to improve your balance to avoid falling and breaking a bone. As well, you will maintain a strong walking posture. No chicken steps for you or
me!

REFLEXOLOGY

I do self-reflexology on my body three times a week during the OK Way Exercises. This zone therapy dates back to ancient Egypt. A particular zone of the foot or hand corresponds to another part of the body, and involves finger and thumb pressure on the feet, hand and, sometimes, the ear. The feet, in particular, provide a map of the entire body, with various parts of the sole connecting to various organs, glands, and limbs.

Those who are unfamiliar with this simple but effective health modality might wonder out loud: who has a liver, a kidney, or a brain in their foot? Yet by massaging different parts of the foot you can stimulate and treat the whole body, the whole person, and not just the symptoms of the disease. The pressure stimulates the flow of energy through the body so that healing can take place
naturally.

Reflexology releases blocked energy in the energy pathways of the body. These 12 pathways connect to all the organs and glands, and culminate in the feet as well as the hands. In order to be healthy, these energy pathways must not remain blocked. Reflexology reduces stress (a major contributing factor to disease), enhances the body’s ability to heal itself, and balances both body and soul. Research shows that a single reflexology session can create relaxation, reduce anxiety, diminish pain, improve blood flow, and decrease high blood
pressure.

Reflexology is used to treat many conditions and illnesses including digestive and circulatory disorders, migraine, back pain, and stress related
diseases.

Carefully study the reflexology charts that I have included in this book to see where the pressure points in your hands and feet correspond to different organs, glands, and tissues in your body. Reflexology charts may vary slightly, since reflexology is an unregulated health treatment and, although some say it is not very scientific, somehow it works for me and for countless others.

If you are unsure how to do self-reflexology, consider visiting a trained reflexologist to see how it is performed and to experience the correct pressure to
apply.

Whether using a blunt object (I use an old-fashioned darning tool) or your fingers and thumb, apply fine deep pressure of approximately 10 to 15 lbs. of force to appropriate reflex points. This may/can send a surge of energy in the energy pathways to the corresponding areas. Apply pressure for as long and with as much force as you feel comfortable. Reflexology will release blocked energy, open the channels, relieve pain and tension, restore vitality, stimulate organs and glands, and encourage the natural healing
process.

Discipline is of the utmost importance in doing reflexology well. Reflexology creates a satisfying sensation on the pressure points for me as I gently move my toes, and I pulsate on the pressure point
reflex.

Reflexology is suitable
for:

Acute and chronic conditions
Sleep disorders
Stress related conditions
Children and adults
Sports injuries
Prevention
therapy

Foot Reflexology

Use the left thumb on the sole of your right foot and your whole right hand on the front of your
foot.

Apply deep pressure of approximately 10 to 15 lbs. of force to each reflex point on the sole of your foot. All the reflexes in the foot when correctly stimulated will induce relaxation and relieve stress and tension in the corresponding glands, organs, and other areas of the
body.

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Lie on your back and place your right leg over the left thigh above the knee

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With the left thumb begin pressing on the right foot starting just under the big toe; count 10 seconds

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Move your thumb across the foot in a row under the toes pressing on not less than 5 reflex points; count 10 seconds on each point

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Move down slightly and work in the same manner in the opposite direction across the foot

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You should move directions at least 6 to 8 times to reach your heel

This picture shows how you use your left thumb on the sole of your right foot in self-reflexology and right hand on the top of right foot. The right hand on the top of the right foot moves in the same direction and in the same sequence as the left thumb on the sole of the
foot.

I understand that this position may be difficult for many seniors to enable the leg to bend so far as to reach it properly. If you are not flexible enough to reach your foot without stressing the knee, do foot reflexology sitting
up.

Use the fingers on the sole of your foot. Refer to the Reflexology Foot chart from time to time so you know what connections you are making with your different organs, glands, and tissues in your
body.

Continue the reflexology on your foot. Remember to hold each reflex point firmly for 10 seconds with deep pressure of approximately 10 to 15 pounds of force all the time. With the right hand, hold right leg above the ankle as shown in the
picture.

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Use left fingers together on the heel as your first reflex point; press for 10 seconds

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Move upward step-by-step from the heel until you have covered the entire foot from heel to toes, 7 to 8 steps

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Grasp firmly all your toes together with the left hand; hold for 10 seconds

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Press firmly on the tips of all your toes down with the left hand; hold for 10 seconds. Energy is sent to the brain

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Massage the tip of each toe 10 seconds per toe starting with the baby toe

Self-reflexology is now complete on the right foot. (Use the same procedure on the left foot.) The next and last exercise on the right foot and toes is
yoga
. I chose to demonstrate only one yoga exercise. The description and directions are outlined in the following
pages.

YOGA

Why do yoga? Yoga is a gentle, compassionate modality that is able to work with the limits of your body. After an illness, you can help your body recover through the medium of your mind using techniques like yoga, guided visualization, and meditation. Yoga means union of body, mind, and spirit. Yoga is a meditative program that includes exercises to improve flexibility and breathing, decrease stress, and maintain health. In India, yoga has been practiced for centuries as a mental, physical, and spiritual practice based on the principle of mind-body unity. In the western world, yoga is tied into any number of health disciplines and belief systems in a meditation
program.

The dictionary meaning of meditation is to engage in a contemplation of reflection. Contemplation means concentration on spiritual things as a form of private devotion. Spirit means the intelligent non-physical part of a person-soul. Soul means the spiritual part of a human being, often regarded as
immortal.

Yoga postures are called asanas. Yoga poses force blood out of organs, allowing fresh blood to take its place. This not only cleanses our organs but also provides more nutrients to make our organs stronger and more resistant to
disease.

In your human energy system, the center for personal power is located in your solar plexis. This is your third chakra. Your third chakra is linked to your stomach, abdomen, upper GI tract, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, spleen, adrenal glands, and the middle spine area behind your solar plexus. It is also responsible for the structure of your metabolic
system.

Your third chakra handles the energy of your personal power, self-esteem, and personality. Your third chakra is the place where you learn to create boundaries for yourself; issues such as trust, fear of rejection, and self-image are all part of this chakra. This is the center for action, energy, and
power.

Stimulation of the solar plexus is an excellent aid to soothe emotional upset. Hara is a line of energy running through the centre of your body. It extends from a few inches under the ribs down toward the pubic bone including the navel. This is the place of power in the body. This means that many nerve centres affecting the balance of the body and mind reside here. It is also the seat of spiritual
centres.

Keep the abdominals drawn in—engaged to support the lower back. There are poses to lengthen the hip flexor, to restore the range of motion in the spine, and to stimulate the digestive system. The posture I chose, working specifically on the toes only, will help relax and reduce stress and focus the mind. This posture completes the feet exercises as we stimulate the solar plexus by meditating and contemplating while working on our toes with the fingers. Peace happens when tension leaves your
body.

The exercises I demonstrate in my book prove that you and I have such valuable resources available to help us get well and stay well. People may benefit from combining yoga with other exercises and with their conventional medical
treatment.