Fascia: the body's hidden web that holds and keeps us moving in sync
In dissection, that is exactly what it looks like: sheets of white, fibrous connective tissue that are strong yet flexible and perfect for keeping muscles and organs in place. They are also sticky, gloopy and get in the way of looking at the muscles, bones and organs they cover. Which explains why, for years, anatomists cut this tissue off, chucked it away and thought little more about it.
Recently, though, researchers have begun to take a fresh look at fascia and are finding that it is anything but an inert wrapping. Instead, it is the site of biological activity that explains some of the links between lifestyle and health. It may even be a new type of sensory organ. “There appears to be more going on in the fascia than is commonly appreciated,” says Karl Lewis at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
The predicted stresses required to produce fascial deformation were evaluated for a volunteer's fascia lata, plantar fascia, and superficial nasal fascia. These stresses were then compared with previous experimental findings for fascial deformation in dense connective tissues. Using the three-dimensional mathematical model, the authors determined that changing amounts of compression and shear produced in fascial tissue during just 20 seconds of manual therapy.
People experiencing craniosacral pulling can develop a number of ailments such as vertigo, TMJ, and migraines with dysregulated a central nervous system. We are now realising that a better understanding of this ubiquitous tissue is sorely needed. It has the potential to provide new ways to tackle many common yet hard-to-treat conditions, from immune dysfunction to chronic pain. We continue to educate ourselves as healers to keep up with the new discoveries being made to better address the body and it's fascinating mechanics.
The True Cost of Demineralization
The Unintended Repercussions
There are a number of modern processes used by water manufacturers and water treatment plants around the world to demineralize the water we drink and cook with. Unfortunately, the health risks of humans and animals drinking demineralized water make these and other processes that strip minerals from our water do more harm than good.
Examples of these processes include: distillation, reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, ultrafiltration, ultraviolet filtration and electrodialysis.
Here's just a few of the risks posed by drinking demineralized water on a regular basis:
Demineralized water is unstable. Calcium and magnesium are “antitoxic” elements which help to protect water from contamination by foreign metals. These metals exist in all the pathways used to get water to us including metal and copper piping, solder joints, lead, bottling equipment, tanker trucks and more.
Calcium, and to a lesser extent magnesium, don't just act as an antitoxic when the water comes in contact with these metals on the way to our tap and bottled water. These minerals also act as a barrier at the cells in our intestines, where the toxins are absorbed into the bloodstream.
It's easy to assume that one glass of water is just like any other. Not so when it comes to demineralized water, including all beverages that contain them. In fact, bodybuilding professionals drink distilled water leading up to their competitions because it's well known among these athletes that demineralized water is among the most inexpensive and reliable diuretics available.
It's important to note that this is far from a good thing. The diuretic effect of drinking demineralized water can quickly lead to severe electrolyte imbalances in the body.
This is due to a couple of factors:
- Demineralized water increases urine output, effectively squeezing water out of places in the body where it should stay.
- The lack of calcium and magnesium in demineralized water will not only hamper physical performance, but can lead to far-reaching health risks including heart malfunctions and irreversible heart disease.
Signs of mild or moderate dehydration can be hard to spot until more severe signs arise.
Calcium and Magnesium Deficiencies
Calcium is a neurotransmitter that relays vital information to every cell in our body. It calms our nervous system to help prevent anxiety. Calcium is one of the elements that causes our heart and other muscles to contract on demand.
Magnesium has more than 300 jobs in the body including glycolysis, ATP metabolism, transport of elements such as sodium, potassium, and calcium through membranes, synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids, neuromuscular excitability and muscle contraction. Deficiencies in either mineral can lead to a less efficient musculoskeletal system, cramps and constipation in the short term and lead to more serious problems like heart disease, brittle bones and teeth, muscle atrophy, nerve damage and increased signs of aging throughout the body.
Cooking with Demineralized Water
Cooking with demineralized water are worse for causing a number of different mineral deficiencies in the human diet. A number of laboratory-based tests over the years have proved that using water with the mineral content removed to cook with also causes massive losses to mineral content of the food being prepared.
60% reduction in calcium and magnesium content.
66% reduction in copper content.
70% reduction in manganese content.
86% reduction in cobalt content.
As the ground our seeds and water pull their nutrients from are increasingly stripped and processed, it is more important than ever, to replace what we have lost within them. Adding trace minerals gives the body the tools to heal and protect itself now and down the line.