Sunday, February 20, 2011

Weight down to 136.6 pounds! Woo Hoo! Even through back pain!


Losing weight with my back acting up constantly when trying to exercise has been incredibly difficult and I need to drop that weight to help my back get better. Ugh!  My mission to figure out what is going on with my body has lead me to discover that my SI Joint in my pelvic area is hyper-extending or just seizing up with intense cramping in the entire area when it acts up.  In my low back area my lumbar vertebrae 3 and/or 4 area has a disk that is causing me quite the grief. The mid thoracic area has anther disc and/or vertebrae that is not cooperating to my standards.  They all seem to synchronize their activity to bring me down and I must make this stop!  I normally have no back issues when I weigh around 120 pounds and right now I am desperate to get there to eliminate some of this pain.

Now how do I prevent my back from seizing up and going out?


I am discovering a few tricks that are working for my body.  I am still doing Yoga in a studio here and there at Bliss Dog Yoga & Crescent Moon Yoga which is helping immensely. At home I have 2 different exercise DVD's that are working to help me build strength back up.  I have tried to do them both in one day but my back is not ready for that yet.  The Beach Body, Start It Up routine is perfect for slowly building core strength.  I also use the Better Sex Through Yoga dvd, this is a core centered routine & is great for strength building. AND no you are not in the mood for sex when your done, you want to relax or sleep!  The biggest thing that I have discovered is that I need to keep moving & exercise every day to keep all my muscles loose in my back or things start to tighten up. 


EATING!  I have been having 2 meal shakes a day made by Natural Factors with one full meal a day.  I have discovered that my weight drops faster if I eat the meal for lunch & not dinner.  There are lots of amazing healthy options for this out there.  My daughters and I have been using this particular brand and mix "Slim Styles" because if we drink 1 a day we never know when our monthly cycle will hit, we don't have any PMS (love that, obviously).  Also, we normally don't get the regular menstrual cramp routine during that time of month with consistently drinking this 1 time per day. Another great meal replacement shake and weight loss program is through Shaklee called Cinch ( here is that link http://vitalearthtraditions.myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=WeightManagement ).
Remember it's best to use what works best for your personal constitution.  Right now Natural Factors is working for me but when I run out I am going to try the Cinch again to see how that will work with my body and personal constitution. 
I am currently at 136.6 pounds and am excited to drop the last 16 pounds!!!  When I started this mission my weight was at 150 pounds.  So, total I have lost 13.4 pounds, now to tackle the last 16.6!!!

Thank You for visiting my blog!
Cheers,
Kelly Lynch Ring

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Kitchen Blend ~ Introducing Citrus Thyme Hand Soap & Lotion


Introducing Citrus Thyme Hand Soap & Lotion for the Kitchen.

These products are rich with the antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic and disinfectant qualities of both Grapefruit & Thyme Essential Oils. This combination has the power to abolish the bacteria that causes odor on your hands after handling smelly foods like garlic, onions and fish.

Available at Vital Earth Traditions

8 oz. Lotion $15.99
8 oz. Liquid Soap $12.99
Trio (3) of Bar Soap $12.99

Combination Pack of Lotion & Liquid Soap $24.99





Sunday, February 13, 2011

Just because you feel better doesn't mean your completely healed & you should stop Therapy!!!

I am well aware of this!  Why is it so hard for a therapist to take care of themselves first?  I am learning my lesson whether I want to or not.  As a massage therapist, aromatherapist & herbalist I constantly talk about continuing the healing process with healing modalities for a time after one feels better to keep strengthening & healing the areas affected to ensure complete and total healing.

Well, I felt SO AMAZING that I have didn't do my restorative yoga poses for a couple days or go to the chiropractor on Friday thinking I feel so great I can wait until Monday.  Now I am feeling sore & like my back could possibly go out again.  I have done my restorative yoga poses today, will do them again later & definately go to the chiropractor tomorrow, that is for sure!  I don't have pain but I feel stiff & a bit afraid to move.

If you have back injuries I suggest you speak to your medical provider about the importance of treatment, how often it should occur & how long would it be most beneficial to your back to continue to ensure optimal healing & health.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

My week of Therapies.........

Going through my week of absolute pain like never before with my back I utilized three amazing Women who are miracle workers! I don't think I would have survived without them. Yes, that is very dramatic!  However, I was in so much pain that is how I felt.  Now, 1 1/2 weeks later I feel better than I have in ages and I have never gotten better so quickly from my back going out and being "S shaped" in my life!

I am including where you can find these lovely women just in case you need a miracle too!


My first stop was to Dr. Lori Johnson who is one of my most favorite Chiropractors.  I have actually been going to her since I was in high school, just a couple years ago.  (haha) She utilizes the Activator Technique and has more training in this than any chiropractor I know.  My body loves and responds most effectively to this technique.  She is just simply excellent at what she does, gentle and completely thorough leaving me feeling like not one thing was missed in my appointment with her. AND for a chiropractor she runs ON TIME which with my busy schedule is of huge value!!! I visited her every day she worked for a week and I could just feel the difference it made in my healing so quickly!  She still does to the old school manipulation technique if that is what you like.  My brother who has a black belt in Judo used to tell me he would go see Dr. Johnson when he felt like he needed a woman to toss him around.  He's a funny, funny man!  Dr. Lori also works on my son to help manage his ADD type symptoms with the Activator Technique very effectively! We notice a MASSIVE difference after his appointments.

If you would like to visit Dr. Lori Johnson she can be found at Riverside Chiropractic in Mount Vernon, Washington.  The phone number to find her is 360-424-6104.  She is also very educated in nutrition, is a vast resource of knowledge in this area and is a Shaklee Distributor which is my favorite source for supplements.  If you would like to visit her shaklee site it's here http://drjohnson.myshaklee.com/us/en/ .


My second stop was to Kit Muehlman Yoga and Hypnosis Instructor.  I was supposed to work for this lovely lovely lady but with my back out I had to reschedule.  She offered to do restorative yoga with me instead.  I at first was skeptical because a strained disc normally gets more agitated with yoga.  I would like the WORLD to know that I walked in with an "S" shaped back and walked out COMPLETELY STANDING UP STRAIGHT after just over an hour of restorative yoga.  This should NOT be possible from a medical stand point but it happened and now I AM A BELIEVER!!!  I would love for the world to experience restorative yoga.  I have also done Hypnosis with Kit and it was amazingly effective for my knee and ankle.  I have not had one ounce of pain in my knee or ankle after 1 appointment.

Miss Kit can be found on her website http://www.blissdogyoga.com/ and by phone at 360-466-3801.  She also works at Crescent Moon Yoga in La Conner, WA working with the lovely Jennifer McFarland http://www.yogalaconner.com/ who is quite amazing herself.  This is a truly effective and talented group at Crescent Moon Yoga, I think anyone going here would be more than pleased with any of their instructors.




My 3rd stop was to Elynn Light, Healer and Massage Therapist where I worked on emotional release techniques.  I can't say emotional release work is fun or pleasant but it is effective.  Our muscle holds memory and stress making a terrible injury inviting combination when left to build up for too long!  I did this twice during my week of intense therapies.  It brought up huge amounts of memory of not being supported (on top of what was brought out in my Hypnosis session with Kit) which makes complete since when you think about how our backs support us through life. So, then it left me dealing with and confronting issues with a few friends and family members that I had forgotton about or simply just didn't deal with.  Confrontation is not exactly my specialty, so this was really difficult for me to accomplish but I did.  Elynn was truly amazing and her work was spot on effective whether I liked it or not. There was a profound feeling of carrying a lighter load after each session with a great amount of increased energy.  This is the kind of woman you get results with and if that's what your looking for then she's your gal!

Elynn can be reached through her website here http://www.sanctuarybodyhealing.com/ and by phone here 714-928-1177. 

Friday, February 11, 2011

What does it mean to Detoxify Your Body?


~To cleanse the body from the inside out of the accumulated Toxic build up from everyday life.

The process of Detoxing the Body is when you choose a diet, herbal or dietary supplement regimen and apply it to your daily routine while only eating a clean diet for a period of time. This is a process to cleanse the body of the internal build up of chemicals, hormones, pesticides, heavy metals and countless other residues from daily life.

Why Should You Detox Your Body?
~ Our bodies are like sponges as we walk through life absorbing toxins from the air, hormones and chemicals from the foods we eat, through our skin from our personal care products and toxic things we touch. The buildup of these toxins over time can cause permanent damage to our bodies making us susceptible to certain diseases.

Methods of Detoxing.
There are endless programs, diets & plans out there for us all to choose from. It’s important to choose a method that works with your lifestyle, your preferences & personal constitution. Some Detox plans require fasting for a certain amount of days, there are juicing programs/diets, organic raw fruit & vegetable plans. There are many herbal boxed kits that you can purchase to help you detox that are very effective. Your local Food Co-Op and most supplement stores have many kits & books to choose from for detoxing.

Modalities such as Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Detoxifying Body Wraps and any complimentary therapies like using a Sauna that will help you detox and sweat out the toxins from your body are utilized by many people.

What to Eat when detoxing.
One of the most important things is to have a very clean organic diet. It is recommended that no processed, frozen, canned, fried, fast, dairy, gluten, surgery or caffeinated foods or drinks are consumed during the detox process. Your diet should be rich with fresh organic fruits and vegetables.

Here are the most common recommended foods I found in my research were……..
Red & Green Vegetables
Broccoli
Broccoli Spouts
Beets
Cauliflower
Watercress
Cabbage
Artichokes
Yellow & Green Peas
Lemons
Beans – pinto, kidney, soybeans & garbanzo beans
Brown Rice & Grains – Quinoa, Millet, Amaranth, buckwheat
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Flaxseed
Almond
Cashews
Walnuts (Peanuts are NOT recommended nor Peanut Butter)
Vegetable Based Soups
Onions
Garlic
Physllium
Organic Fresh Fruits

Most recommended Supplements & Herbs for detoxing that I found are……..
Blessed Thistle
Dandelion
Alfalfa
Fennel

With all the options and information available to us today we can all research information and be proactive in our health. It’s very important to consult a medical provider before taking large amounts of different herbs together at once. If you have a medical condition you should always consult your medical provider before doing a detox program and also check for drug herb interactions.

I will be starting my own detox routine on Monday. I haven’t chosen a specific diet to use yet but will journal my decision & progress next week.

I wish you all Blessings of optimal Health,
Kelly Lynch Ring

Resources & Links for DETOX INFORMATION……..
http://www.blessedherbs.com/m1b/?s_cid=detox%20the%20body_g_e_usa&gclid=CIjWqs3xgacCFRhzgwodZ0o_dw&
http://www.healthydetoxtips.com/
http://www.howtodetoxyourbody.net/
http://life.gaiam.com/article/10-ways-detoxify-your-body
http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dietarytherapy/a/Detox_Diet_Plan.htm
http://www.detoxyourbodytoday.com/

Always consult a medical professional before taking any herb or supplement for a medical condition.
This information is for educational purposes only. This information has not been approved by the health and drug administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any illness or disease.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

What is a "Healing Crisis" ???

As a Massage Therapist I have countless times talked with clients about the
possibility of this but had never experienced it myself, until now!


A healing Crisis is........

A healing crisis can arise when you start a path to better your health or heal an injury.  When you start working on healing your body it starts to release toxins like your body is cleaning it's own house sometimes creating a healing crisis.  This can "wake up" old dormant injuries that haven't completely healed or make you aware of other problems in your body your were not aware of yet.  As the body eliminates toxins they can be released through the skin sometimes causing rashes and possibly acne breakouts.  It can increase inflammation, make you feel nauseous, dizzy, increase headaches & tiredness with flu like symptoms. Old personal issues and traumatic memories can sometimes arise or be remembered. Basically, you get worse before you get better when in a healing crisis.  The good news is that a healing crisis sets up the foundation for regeneration of the body & the repair your vital energy.

I started on a path to strengthen my back, improve my overall health & to basically get fit.  I was eating 1200 calories a day, exercising almost every day & not loosing weight. I actually gained a couple pounds. I then had a hypnosis session for weight loss along for my knee & ankle pain. The knee & ankle pain was immediately gone. The hypnosis also brought up issues with not feeling supported which came along with memories of the past that I didn't want to remember.  Then last Wednesday I felt my back stiffening up, got up, felt the pinch & thought here I go again.  I knew I would not be able to stand up straight for days but still no knee & ankle pain.  I don't believe I overdid it but I do believe that started a toxin release that lead to my healing crisis.  Every old injury seemed to be flared up & I felt HORRIBLE, worse than I had ever felt with my back going out. 

Immediately, I wanted to move through this fast!  I have had some hypnosis, restorative yoga, emotional release therapy, massage therapy & chiropractic almost every day.  I also started an herbal detox program.  It has been 1 week since my physical break down & I feel amazing today.  I rested took care of myself in an intensive fashion utilizing every connection I had to help myself get better.  I have some large bills now but have learned the importance of consistent self care and making sure to get enough sleep & down time.  I would like to point out that not exercising for this week I lost four pounds.  This just confirms for me the importance of sleep, rest & taking care of our mental health along with our physical health. 

SO, GET YOUR REST & TAKE CARE OF YOU!!!  This is my wish for you!
Kelly Lynch Ring


Saturday, February 5, 2011

My Journey To Get Fit, Feel Healthy & Have A Pain Free Back!

I will be documenting my journey on this blog as I strive and struggle to figure out what works for my body, personal constitution, spirit, to achieve an overall balance of wellness and loose weight. 

I have been struggling with pre-menopausal symptoms starting at the age of 33 years. I believe this is the result of a reaction to the same chemicals and hormones in dairy, meats and personal care products that caused my now 17 year old daughter to start developing at the age of 4.  The doctor said to go organic immediately and don't look back.  It has been a struggle but you can't avoid all foods with a child, school, play dates parties, etc. but we manage at least to be 65 to 85% organic throughout each week. In 1993 right before I got pregnant with my baby mentioned above I was in a car accident and it has done quite the number on my back.  I then worked as a massage therapist until I overworked myself into being done doing massage in 2005.

Now I simply just don't feel good and the back issues are escalating.

I was doing nothing physical, just working at the computer and I felt my back stiffening up on Wednesday afternoon. Then I stood up, I felt the pinch, thought here we go again and knew it would be days until I would be able to stand up straight again. I am at a current weight of 144 lbs. and need to get my weight down to 120lbs.  I don't ever remember having any back flare ups when my weight was at 120 lbs. & would like to get back down to that mark.

I have been exercising regularly almost every day of the week and if I don't, that effects the stability of my back also.  The catch is that at a heavier weight exercising at a mild level is all my back will tolerate. I have tried the Lean Cuisine and Skinny Cow 31 day challenge but I didn't loose any weight after the 1st week.  Towards the end my throat swelled up around my thyroid area and went away as soon as I quite eating the Lean Cuisine meals.  I have no idea if it was the dinners that caused that but I am not going to re-visit that to find out! 

My first step is going to be detoxing.  I started a detox kit yesterday and am hoping that this will help detox my body of course but also give my weight loss a jump start. 

I will be back tomorrow to discuss Detoxing.

I wish you all Blessings of good health!
Kelly Lynch Ring
http://www.vitalearthtraditions.com/

Friday, February 4, 2011

What is your Personal Constitution?

Your personal constitution is the combination of your genetic makeup, your history of environmental influence, physiologic & biochemical factors.

This is what creates the situations where you could be more susceptible to specific allergies, diseases etc. Understanding your own personal constitution is the key to helping you resolve or prevent many different alignments, allergies or even chronic health problems.

Your Medical Doctor, Trained Medical Professional, Naturopath, Auryvedic Practitioner etc. can help you to figure out your Personal Constitution if you need or want assistance.

Great site about the Ayurvedic Constitution:
http://www.holheal.com/ayurved3.html
Dr. OZ from the Oprah show has some overall recommendations for your health via supplements to keep you healthy here:
http://www.oprah.com/health/Vitamins-and-Supplements-for-Your-Age
Dr. OZ recommendations from the Dr. OZ Show here:
http://www.medicalbuff.com/tag/dr-oz-turmeric-for-alzheimers-disease/
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/critical-daily-vitamins
General information at Shaklee:
http://vitalearthtraditions.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Mom, what kind of man do you want me to Marry when I grow up?

WOW!  My 15 year old daughter really knows how to ask the questions.  I never really thought about what about what "kind" of man/partner I wanted or hoped for, for my daughters.  So, when I was asked "Mom, what kind of man do you want me to Marry when I grow up?" it really made me stop to think & ponder.  Here is my answer........

I wish for every woman & man a partner that has a kind, loving & honorable spirit.  The kind of person that has great determination that is matched by great self control & only has actions that are honorable to their families. 

What are your wishes for your children???

That is a tall order but that is OK!  That is my prayer for all!

Cheers & Blessings to you and yours, Kelly Lynch Ring
http://www.vitalearthtraditions.com/
http://shop.vitalearthtraditions.com/
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Vital-Earth-Traditions-LLC/130017830876
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/sustainablebeauty