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Basic Self-Release Work for your Sinuses

3/31/2022

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Recently, March 20th, we observed the Spring Equinox. It is time for life, both underground and dormant to surface, shake out the pollen and bring forth more life. For some of us, our sinuses struggle in the presence of such wonder.

Over the years I have become very familiar with the support that decongestants offer, or the saline sprays, the antihistamines and even anti-inflammatories can help relieve symptoms of sinus congestion. I have used all of the above, sometimes in combination, to mitigate heavy congestion. However, as I grew in my understanding of stretching in both muscle and fascia, I realized that these concepts can be applied to softening the muscles and fascia of the face, head and neck. Release work to these areas can also greatly shift congestion and tension in and around our sinus cavities.

With this being the month we focus on the Flexibility Key of EQUIVITA’s 5 Keys of Fitness, it occurred to me this may be a good time to briefly diagram the location of your sinuses and discuss what techniques you can use to promote circulation within your sinuses, move congestion, create drainage, as well as keep you connected to how much tension you may be concealing in your scalp, jaw and neck.

Your paranasal sinuses:
Below you will see the 4 air filled cavities in the skull, located behind the forehead, nasal bones, cheeks and eye orbits. Apparently there’s not a firm consensus on exactly what functions the sinuses provide to the body. Possible rolls the experts offer are: that sinuses reduce the weight of the skull, they serve to regulate the temperature and humidity of inspired air, they absorb heat and insulate the brain, they give your voice resonance as the air vibrates, they protect your face in case of trauma, and they ‘scrub’ for germs and particulates that try to enter the body as we breathe.
The mucus that shares space with the air that flows through these cavities is there to keep the spaces from getting too dry and to flush the crud. When irritants inflame the lining of the sinus cavities they swell and it becomes more difficult for the mucus to flow, rather it gets stagnant and thickens and creates uncomfortable pressure and is no longer able to flush the crud but rather becomes the crud.

As these sinus chambers build in pressure, the muscles and fascia surrounding them are stretched and triggered to tighten. Additionally, the more tension you hold in the fascia or the muscles of your scalp, jaw, or neck, the greater the challenge to free the flow of mucus in your sinus cavities (in fact, I am one that believes that tension in these areas is sometimes a symptom and sometimes a cause of sinus pressure). All to say, having a basic understanding of how to apply the techniques of facial fascial head and neck release can work to relieve a sinus pressure headache, as well to prevent the onset of thickening mucus associated with seasonal allergies.

Sinus pressure relief practice basics:
Here’s a fairly basic process that I like to consider with sinus support. I always try to maintain the fullest breathing pattern I can achieve, full, relaxing nasal breathing (even if I’m faking it till I make it). Once I have established full, relaxing nasal breathing, I begin to try to warm up the area where I want to ‘melt’ congestion. To influence muscle type tension, use finger tips or knuckles to rub small circles over the sinus area to stimulate blood flow and create heat. To move fascial tension, you would apply more of a pinch and roll approach, or a gentle held pull which can help restore the ‘crimp’ of your fascia so it can re-hydrate any stretched out distended patches.

Next, and still with big breathing, I apply strong pressure to one or two spots in the warmed region to force a pressure shift in the cavity and move held fluid pressure. Perhaps briefly uncomfortable, but effective.

Finally, and still with full breathing, I like to apply a larger movement that acts to ‘push and pull’ a much larger area, like head tilts from side to side, or exaggerated circles of the skull over the shoulders. These movements gently compress and release our soft tissues from the scalp to the shoulders to reduce accumulated tension in these areas.

Maxillary sinus relief series:
First, you want to try to breathe through your nose for the whole process. Ok, now find the little indentation on the sides of your nostrils, and with your finger tips, press firmly into that indentation and make circular motions for about a minute. Our aim here is to melt the muscles around your maxillary sinus cavity, or start to warm the area to encourage drainage of this cavity. Next you're going to get in there with your knuckles and hold a decent pressure right on that indentation point and count to about 45. You can now choose to use an even smaller pressure point after the knuckles press, by switching to your thumbs and pressing in, with a slight angle up, and hold nearly uncomfortable pressure this way for an additional count of 45. Now take a few deep inhales and exhales. Relax your face, relax your shoulders, drop your hand to your sides, palms facing outward. Now drop your ear to your shoulder, one side and then the other. Continue this rhythmic side-to-side tilting movement for approximately a minute.
Frontal and Ethmoid sinus release series:
First, you want to try to breathe through your nose for the whole process. Now you want to make your hand like a blade and press the index finger of this blade right into the deepest crevice between the eyes, then take your other hand and apply a firm controlled pressure to that point between the eyes, and count to about 30. Next, slide the hand slightly right to left (or side-to-side), back and forth while also pressing in and up into the brow bone and count to 30 again. Get your pinchers ready, grab hold of the inside of each eyebrow with a pincher and start to pull and roll outward, while working your pinchers across the brows to the outside of them and then use the same pinch and roll movement to come back to center. Do this twice, back and forth. This is a fascial pulling application, and we are using it to soften the fascia around your frontal and ethmoid sinus cavities. Finally, we layer in a larger movement, taking a few deep inhales/exhales. Relax your face, relax your shoulders, drop your hand to your sides, palms facing outward. Finally, make some big circles with your nose, using all the edges of your range of motion, take your nose all the way back to the ceiling and all the way around to the floor and back up. Big circles, for about a count of 45.
I hope you can successfully visualize your sinuses, and connect with your own ability to relieve both pressure in the sinus cavity and move held-tension in/around the area of your sinuses. I hope that you connect how tight shoulders, a tight neck, tight jaw, and a tight scalp can lead to recurrent sinus issues, AND that when you apply some of the pressure relief basics with consistency you can employ the power of blood flow and the power of movement (just like any other musculoskeletal system) to achieve greater health to your paranasal sinus constitution! If you would like great video suggestions for 15 minute practices that can lead you through release practice for all four of the sinus cavities, please email me at [email protected].

In robust, deep breathing, health, happy Spring!
Tami

I love this Sam Webster: he is responsible for my quick revisit to paranasal sinus anatomy for this segment! He can teach you all about anatomy! (btw: this is strictly an anatomy education video, not one of the release videos) Enjoy
Paranasal air sinuses

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Maxillary Cavity Sinus Release Series
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Frontal and Ethmoid Sinus Release Series
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What happens in Vagus...

3/9/2022

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It’s not just a clever play on words, it’s the vagus nerve; one of the largest, longest cranial nerves (the 10th cranial nerve to be exact) and it extends from the brain into the chest and abdomen. It has a huge responsibility in the body, including regulating heart rate, carrying sensory information from the internal organs back to the brain, regulating blood pressure, stimulating the gastrointestinal tract, as well as contributing a major part to the balance of hormones such as cortisol and the digestive hormone ghrelin. It is arguably one of the most important nerves, controlling a large amount of our body systems, yet the one we know the least about. What is known is that this nerve is key in the overall well-being of the body, particularly in the autonomic nervous system’s ability to appropriately switch between the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous state, and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous state.

The vagus nerve holds a metaphoric map to the the body, able to influence almost every major internal organ, and is the captain of the parasympathetic state. When this nerve is activated, it responds by signaling the connected organs and systems to also relax, resulting in the heart rate slowing, respiratory rate slowing and the breath deepening, muscle contractions releasing (remember, this is where that change and repair/build function happens), decrease in inflammation, and rerouting of resources back to digestion and the immune system. It’s also been shown to have impact on “turning off” asthma attacks, epileptic seizures, and migraine or cluster headaches. Psychologically, it’s been linked to the release of stress, anxiety, nervousness, and neural calm which can aid in expression and social interaction. When activated, it can induce sensations of safety, a much needed state to build an internal infrastructure for growth on all levels.

There are various ways to activate the vagus nerve, and just like other systems in the body, the vagus nerve can be “exercised” and toned. Here are some helpful techniques to try:
  • Deep, slow breathing where the inhale expands deep in the belly and the exhale brings the navel towards the spine.
  • Humming or chanting, the vibration from which stimulates the vagus nerve.
  • Laughter!
  • Sleeping on the right side of the body stimulates the vagus nerve to release calming hormones.
  • Cold showers or splashing cold water on your face.
  • Massaging the neck, shoulders and ears.


Activating and toning the vagus nerve can help rebalance the body’s systems, regulate rest periods, and shorten the amount of time the body is in the sympathetic nervous state (that’s the fight or flight one where resources are directed away from all non-essential functions). We can't engage something we've never learned to relax, and if we're always "on", then we can't properly learn how to turn it "off" and relax. Relaxation and rest is just as much an exercise and fitness practice as is building and maintaining muscle. Our society is obsessed with productivity and the do-do-do attitude, and I for one am guilty of complying. Like Tami, I enjoy contributing to the world I'm a part of and doing my small daily part to make it a happy place to be. A deeper part of this is that relaxation and just "being" without tasking the mind with things is hard work, but necessary in our well-being.

Best,
Katherine

References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/vagus-nerve
https://suddenrushguarana.com/blogs/news/the-vagus-nerve-is-key-to-well-being
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A practice for reset

3/9/2022

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This simple practice takes a few minutes. See what it feels like for you.
Sit comfortably, keep your torso stable and without rotation. Inhale with your head center. Exhale turn your head right. Inhale center. Exhale turn your head left. Lie down with knees bent. Turn your eyes to the right and hold, keep the head centered and continue to breathe. Wait until a deeper breath arises. Do the same, turning the eyes to the left. Then come seated and repeat the original head turn. Notice any differences. 

Warmly,
Carla
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Rest

3/4/2022

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Rest
Have you ever considered building your weekly schedule by first blocking time for sleep? Start with the base number of hours. Then add additional time for your brain to process any extra work it has had to do. And then, since research has shown that sleep isn’t just for your brain, adding yet more time as you add other physical demands to your schedule.  

This type of scheduling can seem a bit backwards and even daunting, but if you are looking for reasons to justify prioritizing sleep in your life, check out Matt Walker’s TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_walker_sleep_is_your_superpower?language=en. In it he provides some information on the benefits to be gained, or I suppose you could interpret it as the negatives that can be caused by not getting enough sleep.

In another talk, Jeff Iliff details another important aspect of sleep, specifically the important role that sleep has in enabling the cerebrospinal fluid between the brain cells to clear out waste products. Waste products that an accumulation of has been associated with the development of Altzheimers disease. https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep?language=en

There are studies which link muscle exertion to sleepiness through the production of Bmal 1, a protein which regulates gene expression, in the muscles that may be the connection for why muscle-building requires more sleep. And other studies have shown the gastrointestinal tract, the pancreas, and fat tissue generate signaling molecules called neurohormones that appear to affect the onset and duration of sleep. Further study might identify these neurohormones as the reason why sleep is necessary for fat loss or might illuminate the correlation of sleep to natural killer cells of the immune system that Dr. Walker talked about. 

Hopefully, it is clear that there are numerous reasons to take a good look at your sleep and justify the time you devote to sleep as an important aspect of your total health. Yet, even with so many great reasons, it can be hard to prioritize the value of getting enough sleep. But this is not a new challenge because the same could be said about any of those things that would be best for our health, but don’t seem urgent at the moment.

Just as you would do for the other Keys of Fitness, when you are in the role of “master” (the role when you decide your priorities and build your schedule) determine the plan for your sleep. The more specific parameters the more likely you, in the “padawan” role will be able to follow. And remember, with so many entertainment options and the level of FOMO in our society it can be hard to place the value on getting enough sleep. Be kind to yourself. The goal is to provide you with a structure that is based on your long-term priorities for your life.

As always, let me know how I can help.
Adam
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How we spend our day...

3/3/2022

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“How we spend our day is, of course, how we spend our lives”
-Annie Dillard

As I understand it Annie Dillard is an American author well known for her style of writing that uses a very patient and very detailed level of observation to record what she sees in nature. In the words of Maria Popova (a fascinating writer/blogger with a crazy cool mind), “she reflects the idea that presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity.” I don’t know what to do with that.

I want to feel like a robust person. At any point on the timeline of my life, I want to step up and be accountable and produce well for the community, and the family and the friends I have.

The experience of getting up in the morning, excited to get going on the day–I very much value it. The feeling of going to sleep very satisfied with the day–I very much value it. I would say those feelings are driven from my relationship to productivity.

There are times, however, that I feel pretty distant from having days like those. My sense of
value takes a hit, my tendency to host resentment spikes, and stuff gets dumb, slow and
unclear.

Fast forward I was talking to Carla the other day, partly unloading some feelings of being
undone with the state of the world and...I don’t know various other elements of life, and I knew I wanted to point readers towards the body scan video she recorded when we were shut down in 2020. When the state of productivity was like a blindfolded baby on rollerskates…uncommon and poised for disaster.

Me: I don’t want one more voice out there telling me what’s what, or what can be, or how to breathe or how to move, or what to f’n do. I love guided meditations, and relaxation practices, I believe with everything that I am that they are good for me, but I don’t want to be told anything today. Somehow I don’t feel body scan is bossy-

Carla: Well yeah, there’s no goal to that practice. Not even to relax. The purpose is to feel sensation. That’s it, nothing to achieve or change.

No goal?! I don’t know what to do with that. Presence is far more intricate and rewarding an art than productivity…“how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

I want to strain less, and I don’t think I notice a lot of strain when I participate with the body scan video. If I can spend my days with less strain, and be robust in and for this world, and that is my life…well that’s the goal! (go easy, I’m new here) I absolutely think being productive and being present are rad. I’m not sure that they are found in the same activity and I think we likely thrive when we pursue the art of both.

Personally, it would seem that I need a bit more presence to bring balance to the conversation. As I write this piece I realize that there is necessarily more stillness, more quiet in endeavors that operate our systems of presence. Productivity is not a still or quiet operation. If we are often/always building ourselves around producing the goals, I’m afraid that may have a big role in what makes us sick and disconnected. “Build pockets of stillness into your life,” Maria Popova, once again. To me, that phrase is poetic and gorgeous and pivotal.

In good health,
Tami

Body Scan video by Carla
https://youtu.be/cvpIrE3QFAk
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The impact of planned rest on adaptation.

3/2/2022

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Rest is when you rebuild and rejuvenate. It is the time for adapting to the stimulus so that you will be better able to handle similar future challenges. For exercise programming this is called the SAID principle: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands, but I think the principle can be applied to adaptations to stressors that aren’t just physical. 

For instance, walking barefoot has its own benefits to the skeletal-muscular functioning as well as proprioception of the lower extremity, but this newsletter is about Rest, in other words, putting the shoes on. 

Sometimes I marvel at how good it feels to put on supportive comfy shoes after I have walked a few miles barefoot. The feeling is definitely one of protection from things like sharp rocks or freezing puddles, but I know that if I wore the shoes all the time I might never appreciate that feeling. Like so many wonderful comforts in my life, I might just take that feeling for granted. 

So, in this scenario putting the shoes on provides me with a great sense of comfort that I am only aware of because I had spent time barefoot. A similar feeling could be found when you take a break from intense focused mental thinking or arriving home after attending a social engagement that you had to talk yourself into attending. There are so many opportunities to challenge ourselves and, yet, if we don’t take them and instead follow the desire to find comfort, then we deny ourselves the ability to adapt. But that is not really true because we are always adapting. 

Allostasis is the term that describes our anticipatory ability to prepare for demands before the need arises and is based on experience. And since this governing drive is constant, the only ways to direct the desired adaptation is by controlling the experience and then allowing yourself to rest. 

If I want my feet to be stronger and my balance to maintain as I age, then I should challenge myself by walking barefoot. Walking barefoot can also provide me with a challenge of willpower which can improve my resilience. But these things will only happen if I allow the rest necessary for adapting in these specific ways.   

Benjamin Franklin said “[r]est is best when earned,” and since I like to think that he was a very smart guy, I believe that he wasn’t just saying that rest feels better when you have done something to feel like you have earned the right to rest. He was also saying that the benefits of adaptation that will happen during your rest will be greater if you have earned them by directing the demands. 

As always, let me know how I can help.
Adam 
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