Traditionally pregnant women have been discouraged from exercise, today however, the benefits of exercise throughout pregnancy are well established. In the absence of medical reasons, adopting a physically active lifestyle is both safe and healthy, with no identifiable increase in complications to the mother or baby. Yet, typically we find that there is almost always a decline in physical activity during pregnancy and a high proportion of pregnant women follow neither physical activity nor exercise guidelines.
Moo to Poo!
Are you sitting properly 🚽 ? Have you heard of MOO to POO?
I was definitely one of those people who laughed at the diagrams on the back of the toilet door, telling people not to stand or squat on the toilets.
But maybe these practises (typically found in Asia, Africa and Southern Europe) have a place.
Experiments by Israeli doctor Dov Sikirov asked 28 subjects to do their ‘daily business’ in three different positions. He then recorded the time taken in each position and asked the participants to assess their degree of strain. Giulia Enders highlighted this research in her book “Gut” and the results were very interesting:
-In a SQUATTING position, subjects took an average of 50 seconds, and reported a full and satisfying bowel emptying
-In a SEATED position, the average time taken was 130 seconds, with the resultant feeling being not as satisfactory
WHY?
The mechanism of our gut is not designed to open completely when we are seated. In this position, the muscle that circles our gut like a lasso creates a kink in the tube. Think garden hose ‘kink’ here. As our faeces pass down our rectum it hits a corner, just like a bend in the garden hose. Once we position ourselves better the muscle creating a lasso relaxes, the kink straightens and the ‘road ahead is straight’.
WHAT TO DO?
1- Bend forward at your hips
2- Place your feet on a low footrest (or even go up on your tiptoes)
3- “MOOOO”
This technique helps you avoid straining with constipation by relaxing the pelvic muscles and generating pressure within the abdomen, rather than pushing down through the pelvic floor
—> Keep Breathing
—> Expand your belly like a balloon
—> And MOO! (repeat each time)
Don’t be a cow share this technique with your friends
Interested in learning more?
-Have a listen to Giulia’s TED talk on the charming science of your guy
https://www.ted.com/talks/giulia_enders_the_surprisingly_charming_science_of_your_gut
-Or have a read of the book yourself
A Mums guide to the “Six-week check”
The period after giving birth is called the postpartum or postnatal period. The reality is women receive check-ups, testing, attention, and care throughout the pregnancy, but once the baby is born this contact traditionally can recede until the six-week check.
MRI Of My Neck
I injured my neck In the last two weeks of my holiday in Europe this year. Although it would be great to say it was done jumping off a boat into the waters off the Amalfi Coast- it wasn’t. It gradually came on, and I think some pretty dodgy pillows didn’t help either. Chances are I may of had some changes in my neck for a while, but it was this aggravation that caused my pain.
Is F45, a cult? Perhaps, but for good reason.
Team training, life-changing is the commonly heard catchphrase upon attending your first F45 class. The music is loud, there is constant movement and lots of people. This high-intensity training has become one of the most popular exercise classes throughout Australia. A class is generally 45 minutes long (as you would assume) and consists of a combination of strength, interval and aerobic classes.
Koala Mattress: An Osteopaths Review
"I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to buy this mattress. I think I'll sleep on it"
Buying a bed can be a daunting experience. Going into shops; lying on one bed, been shown another, and then forgetting what the first one actually felt like? It is not only a mental drain but can be quite a financial strain. Renovating last year made me more thrifty with my money, and lead me to explore this ‘mattress in a box phenomenon’. Another reason was simply laziness. We were just too busy to spend three weekends going around to mattress shops and be shown the exact same mattresses, with different names and under different brands (which made it impossible to price match).