Simple Exercises that can Correct Your Scoliosis!

Normally when the scoliosis curve is more than 40 or 50 degree, Doctor will advice us to go for operation, implant metal to fuse the vertebrae to correct the deformity. 

Recently I read an article from China Press newspaper, the Chiropractor mentioned that when a person curve is 50 degrees when standing, but only 20 degrees curve when he/she lays down, operation is not needed. The main reason is his/her bone is lack of strength. Exercise can help in this situation. Only those who has hard bone is advice to go for Chiropractic treatment or adjustment.

There are at least 25 types of scoliosis curve. Try to understand your own scoliosis type first before decided for operation. May be you just need a frequent exercise! The following is two simple exercises you can perform to strengthen your back.

1) Arm Swinging Exercises

It is an easy and simple exercise that you can practice everywhere and anytime without restriction, no equipment needed and you just need to swing your arm and bend down you knee after every 5 times. It has a lots of other benefits also and it is part of the Qi Gong exercise too. Try to practice it everyday and swing your arm for around 200~300 times. Why I recommended this exercise because it is idea to workup your muscles both side. Consistency is a MUST!

2) Lajin Stretch 拉经

La 拉 means to stretch, Jin 经 means a Chinese medical term similar to tendons and ligaments. The following is the steps for Lajin I usually practiced:

1. You can use two chairs and place them near the wall as showed in the picture below.
2. Lay down your back, put your arm straight beside your ear and keep flat on the chair. Coordinate your breathing and stretch your arm as much as possible.
3. Place the right leg up against the wall, while the left leg bends down as much as possible to touch the ground. If can't touch the ground at the beginning, use books to support your left leg.
4. Press your buttock against the wall and keep the raised leg flat against the wall. 
5. Avoid legs moving outward. Move the inner thighs closer together to increase intensity. 
6. Maintain this position for 10-40 minutes, and then switch your legs.

It might be difficult to have straight leg at the beginning. Practice it daily and stretch your jin just like yoga stretching exercises. For more details, you can read Paida and Lajin Self-Healing by Master Xiao.

Photo source: http://relativehumanity.tieus.com/web/cm/stool01.htm

Scoliosis is a Genetic Condition?

I happened to read through the "Setting Scoliosis Straight Handbook" published in Scoliosis Research Society (SRS).  "What causes scoliosis….carrying a heavy backpack, not drinking enough milk, poor posture? No, scoliosis isn't caused by anything that you did or didn't do. It is a genetic condition." I am quite surprised to read these sentences due to many doctors and publication mentioned that the cause of scoliosis is unknown. Therefore, I decided to do further reading regarding this statement and share with you all. Hope we can learn more on scoliosis matter.

According to News Medical, "a defect in the gene -- known as CHD7 -- leads to the C- and S-shaped curves that characterize scoliosis." 

What is CHD7? CHD7 stand for Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 gene. The CHD7 gene provides instructions for making a protein called chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 and it is critical in many basic functions in the cell. Mutations in CHD7 might cause CHARGE syndrome (coloboma, heart defect, atresia choanae).

In this research, "they found that patients with scoliosis very often had a defect in the gene's non-coding region, meaning that the error did not disrupt production of the CHD7 protein. The researchers speculate that this particular mutation alters the binding of a molecule that controls whether the gene is turned on. In this case, they think the gene is turned off more often than it should be, which reduces the amount of CHD7 protein produced."

It is a bit to technical for me to digest. I hope those who read this article can share and explain more details to us. Thanks.

Reference:
News Medical, 2007, "Scoliosis Gene Found" http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/26/26897.aspx

Do You Have A Longer Left Leg or Right Leg?

The normal or abnormal position of your pelvis will determine your back bone is either straight or curve. Besides, it will also reflected in your shorten or longer leg either side. For example, people with longer left leg usually their left pelvis is higher and the right side is lower, and vise versa. 

According to a statistic studies, people with longer left leg tends to have digestion problem, urinary system and reproductive system related diseases. In contrary, people with longer right leg usually have respiratory and cardiovascular system related problems. This is mainly due to the various spine curvature will oppressed the internal organs and nervous system in the body.   

Therefore, it is easy to predict a person health condition by just observing his or her pelvis condition. Hence, which categories do you belong to? Longer left leg or longer right leg?

A Summary Table: Longer Left Leg and Right Leg Related Disease

Reference

Translated from 许美陆，健康养骨力，人类智库

  

Best Foods for Calcium

Nearly all literature review indicated that low bone mineral density (BMD) was a generalized phenomenon in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and 20-38% associated with osteoporosis. "But the causes of osteoporosis or osteopenia in AIS remain undetermined" (Xin et. al., 2008).

Based on the concept of Chinese medicine studies, we need a balance diet in order to take care our bone. The best way will be maintained a vegetarian life style because animal foods belongs to acid foods, and the functions of calcium in our bone is to buffer the excess acid to keep the pH of the blood slightly alkaline. The more acidic food we consumes, the more calcium we need to used to keep our pH alkaline.    

Hence, what are the best foods for calcium? I have translated the chart I derived from a Taiwanese author as followings:

Source: 欧阳英，生机食疗DIY大全, Taiwan

Some of the foods might looks alien for you, but we used to have it in our Chinese dishes or herbs.  

References

Xin FL, Hai L, Zu DL & Li YD 2008, "Low bone mineral status in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis", Eur Spine J, 17:1431–1440

欧阳英，生机食疗DIY大全, Taiwan