08/31/05

Laterality: Correcting Laterality: Preserving Hand Dominance:

Improve hand dominance by…

·          Positioning the forearm that should be sub-dominant in a supine position (e.g.  palm upward) [increases carpal tunnel pressure and decreases blood flow?] and

·          Positioning the forearm that should be dominant in another position that is relaxed or where the forearm is in a prone position [a position that decreases carpal tunnel pressure and increases blood flow?]

·          ExRx.net: Forearm Articulations (forearm supination and pronation)

·          http://www.medtrng.com/posturesdirection.htm (forearm supination and pronation)

·          Note: From what I’ve read, it seems that it might be a good idea for left-handers to reverse their hands for the following mediation positions

·          “Typical of the representation of the historical Buddha – Buddha seated in the lotus position, the right hand touches the ground with the finger tips near the right knee, all the fingers extended, or only with the tip of the forefinger, while the left hand rests, palm upwards, in the hollow of the thighs.”

http://www.webcastmy.com.my/bodhivision/Symb5.htm (the ‘Bumiparsa Mudra’ meditation position; see image)

·           “In Hinduism, a mudra (Sanskrit, literally ‘seal’) is a symbolic gesture made with the hand or fingers. Along with asanas (postures), they are employed in yoga meditation practice. Each mudra has a specific meaning, and they are a central part of Hindu iconography. With the onset of Buddhism, many mudra practices were absorbed into the culture. Common hand gestures are to be seen in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. An example would be the outward-facing open palm known as Abhay (without fear) mudra, a gesture meant to dispel the fear of the devotee.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra

·          J Hand Surg [Am].: Effects of forearm pronation/supination on carpal tunnel pressure.

·          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel(information about the carpal tunnel)

08/17/05

The Common Cold

Tips:

*Keep throat warm (humidity)

*Stay away from air conditioners, wind (dehydrating and dehumidifying effect)

*Other Suggestions: Breathing: Humidification

*Melatonin, immune system

*Arousal: Allergies

*Nutrition: Vitamins & Minerals

Vision: Binocular Functions: Light Sensitivity

LCD Monitors:

The backlight of LCD monitors is brightest around the edges of the screen. Using a computer program or web browser that allows you to darken the scroll bar and status bar might be helpful.

The Brain: Computer Games

·          AP: Exhaustion kills man playing games (playing nonstop for 49 hours)

Sleep

Deep Pressure:

Alternatives to putting plywood under mattress? Place a firm pad on top of a mattress?

Vision and Gaze

Myopes, Hyperopes:

“[14.3] Do I lean my head forward/back too much?

·          Often myopes tend to lean forward towards things to see them

·          Clearer.

·          Hyperopes tend to lean back or move things further away.

·          This sometimes necessitates looking up or down and causes your eyes to diverge or converge, leading to accommodation/vergence disruptions.

·          Be aware of leaning your head forward or back.

·          Often rapid change in vision occurs simply from correcting poor posture and head position.

·          In rare cases the head is turned to one side.”

http://web.singnet.com.sg/~hanwen/nvifaq.htm

NLP and Open Focus, Synchronous Alpha:

Closing eyes and focusing on area between eyes (gazing upward?)

Closing eyes and focusing on area between ears (gazing downward?)

Floor Sitting:

Sitting on the floor (e.g. when watching television) may be beneficial for people such as office workers who sometimes spend long periods of time looking downward.

“In many countries, especially in Asia, people sit on a Zabuton mat or cushion on the floor to work at a computer. Research by Professor Kageyu Noro and colleagues has shown that an ergonomic design for this cushion that provides better pelvic support results in a better floor-seated posture. This cushion reduced the rear rotation of the pelvis and the flexion of back.”

http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/cuergfloorcushion.html

Downward Gaze:

As our eyes get tired we tend to look downward? Or do only myopes tend to look downward when they are tired?

Tips:

If you spend a lot of time reading or writing, position the document you are reading/writing about a foot in front of you to reduce downward gaze angle, or use a document stand/holder.

Glasses:

Most frames seem to restrict upward gaze more than downward gaze.

Glasses restrict gaze.  May have to compensate by moving neck.

Under some circumstances, the fact that some glasses restrict gaze may be beneficial for some people (although there are other, less detrimental, alternatives to improving vision such as the Bates method). For example, people who spend too much time looking downward (e.g. reading) may develop eyestrain. This can lead to vision problems, and cause them to seek to correct their vision by purchasing glasses. Since most frames restrict gaze, wearing glasses may reduce the angle of their downward gaze—although wearing corrective lenses does require you to strain your eyes.

Laterality: Correcting Eye Dominance

Scratches or smudges on glasses can affect eye dominance?

Other Suggestions: Self-Esteem

Things to Consider: Laterality, Proprioception

Nutrition: Oral Infectious Diseases

Tooth Decay:

In addition to gingivitis, tooth decay is also an infection

Brushing and Pressure:

“Regular brushing is recommended by healthcare professionals, though not too hard [1]. Two minutes maximum, without pressing the brush too hard against the teeth and gums.

·           In research, levels of plaque were recorded before and after brushing and found that plaque removal steadily improved as brushing times and pressure were increased.

·           However, their results showed that when people brush for longer than two minutes, at a pressure higher than 150 grams (the weight of an orange), they aren't removing any additional plaque, and may be causing permanent damage to the teeth and gums.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_teeth

Molars:

Brushing the tops of the molars seems to require more pressure than other parts

Tips:

“Brushing teeth immediately after eating sugar is not recommended, because sugar softens the enamel, which can then be damaged by brushing. It is better to wait half an hour after eating sugary foods before brushing.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_teeth

Other Suggestions: Keeping a Checklist

Backsliding: Circadian Rhythm

*Good idea to have some exposure to sunlight (without sunglasses) every morning?

Water

Things to Consider: Icey/Ice Cold Water

*Tooth sensitivity and sensory overload

*Nerve in the back of the mouth (ice-cream headache)

Vision and Gaze

You can improve your posture simply by changing the height of your monitor? Crouching forward and tilting back are signs that the height of the monitor needs to be adjusted?

08/09/05

Vision

Blinking

*Stimulates tear production (e.g. for dry eyes)

*Blinking stimulates the extraocular (eye) muscles

Exp Brain Res.: Pattern of extraocular muscle activation during reflex blinking.

*Can use light blinking to exercise the extraocular muscles as the pencil-push up exercise does? Rigorous blinking will cause eyestrain

Other Suggestions: Breathing: Humidification

Any advantage to exhaling out the mouth?

Vision and Gaze

Nearsightednes, Farsightedness:

*myopes (nearsighted) tend to look down more often, hyperopes (farsighted) tend not to look downward unless required

*When looking at a computer screen myopes tend to lean forward more, hyperopes tend to lean back more?

*Myopes get tired (eyes converge when looking downward) and lean forward in order to make their gaze angle higher? (eyes tend to diverge when looking upward)

*Myopes can make themselves less myopic by increasing the height of their monitors?

Light Sensitivity:

·           J Neurosci.: The influence of the angle of gaze upon the excitability of the light-sensitive neurons of the posterior parietal cortex.

Dehydration: Effects: Constipation

Things to Consider:

Posture: Poor Posture

Posture: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Rounded Shoulders

Some chest stretches (e.g. leaning against the corner of a wall) also stretch the abs? Can exacerbate lordosis?

Laterality

Correcting Hand Dominance:

It’s important to position your keyboard directly in front of you. Moving the keyboard too far to the left or too far to the right can affect hand dominance, and may also lead to a winged scapula condition (posture).

     If you mostly use the keyboard just for typing (and usually don’t use the keypad), position only the part of the keyboard that you use in the center.

Hand Squeezes:

·          “Begin with your wrist straight and your fingers fully extended.

·          Progress through three different hand squeezes. [see pictures]

• Initially make a normal fist using light pressure and hold for 3 seconds.
• The next exercise is to touch your finger tips to the base of your palm and hold for three seconds.
• The final exercise is to make a hook with your finger tips while your hand is extended and hold for 3 seconds.

·          Repeat each exercise 5 times.”

http://www.computerfit.com/ch2part2c.html

Water

Things to Consider: Icey/Ice Cold Water

*Can damage the stomach lining?

*Reduces cravings?

*Causes problems with digestion? (very hot or very cold foods can cause heartburn)

*Some water coolers have a non-refrigerated tap or a hot tap—could mix hot water with the cool water if it is too cold; could also warm cold water with an electric cup warmer

Breakfast

Cereals:

“Corn Flakes ingredients:
Milled corn, sugar, malt flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, salt, iron, niacinamide, sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin B1), vitamin A palmitate, folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. To maintain quality, BHT has been added to the packaging.

I'm not sure exactly what ‘milled corn’ is. If it's whole grain corn that's just been milled, it's probably ok. But sugar as the 2nd ingredient and HFCS as the 4th sort of condemn this cereal in my book.

Nutrition info:
Per 1 cup:
Calories: 100
Fat: 0
Carbs: 24g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 2g
Other carbs: 21g
Protein: 2g

On second thought,

·           The sugar isn't too bad; only 2g per 100 calories.

·           But also only 1g of fiber, which makes me think milled corn isn't the best thing.

·           Only 2g of protein per 100 calories too.

·           Could be a lot of empty carbs.”

MensHealth.com: Discussions

Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Is there some kind of exercise or test for determining which areas of gaze (e.g. upper right, upper left) are under-utilized?

Exercises for improving gaze? Relaxercise’ exercises? (developed from Feldenkrais’ work)

08/02/05

Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Rapport, Asperger’s Syndrome:

“In 1995 a remarkable type of neuron was discovered by researchers working at the University of Palma in Italy (Rizzolatti et alia, 1996; Rizzolatti and Arbib, 1998). The cells, now called ‘mirror neurons’, are found in the pre-motor cortex of monkeys and apes as well as humans. In humans they form part of the specific area called Broca's area, which is also involved in the creation of speech. Although the cells are related to motor activity (ie they are part of the system by which we make kinaesthetic responses such as moving an arm), they seem to be activated by visual input. When a monkey observes another monkey (or even a human) making a body movement, the mirror neurons light up. As they do, the monkey appears to involuntarily copy the same movement it has observed visually. Often this involuntary movement is inhibited by the brain (otherwise the poor monkey would be constantly copying every other monkey), but the resulting mimickery is clearly the source of the saying ‘monkey see, monkey do’.”

Research on Neuro Linguistic Programming - Richard Bolstad

“…There is increasing evidence that autism and Aspergers syndrome are related to unusual activity of the mirror neurons. This unusual activity results in a difficulty the autistic person has understanding the inner world of others, as well as a tendency to echo speech…and to randomly copy others' movements.”

Research on Neuro Linguistic Programming - Richard Bolstad

“Mirror neurons respond to the facial expressions associated with emotions as well, so that they enable the person to directly experience the emotions of those they observe…As a person adjusts their facial expression and other nonverbal behaviour to match others' they actually use the same pattern of brain activation that the other person is using. When their mirror neurons respond and they copy the person's actions, they thus feel what that person is feeling. This results in what researchers call ‘emotional contagion’ - what NLP calls rapport”

Research on Neuro Linguistic Programming - Richard Bolstad

Dehydration, Heartburn

Spicy, Fatty Foods:

“Avoid eating foods that are hard to digest, such as spicy foods or foods that are high in fat (including foods with rich sauces).”

http://www.cchs.net/health/health-info/docs/0600/0609.asp?index=4534

Vision and Gaze

Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder:

“The current research shows the best results from light that reaches your face from an angle above, simulating the sun. To achieve this and still be close enough to the light to get the benefit, you can put the light box on a stand or shelf. The light needs to reach your retinas, so you need to have your eyes open. I have my light box on a stand beside my computer monitor. First thing in the am, I pop on the box (arghhhhhhh!!!! It's bright!!!) and catch up on email, etc., for about 30 minutes.”

Topic in alt.support.depression

Tips:

Paper holders/stands (also referred to as document holders) can be helpful for reducing the amount of time you spend looking downward--also good for improving posture.

Light Sensitivity:

“I know a farmer who for fifteen years had never been able to do a stroke of work out in the sun. He complained that the light blinded him and so he remained in a dark room most of the time and was not as happy as he might have been. He had a large family and in their sympathy they believed as he did and all the time cautioned him to protect his eyes. If someone opened the door suddenly and let in the daylight there was a great rush to close the door and protect the gentleman from the light.

     He came to me with his eyes well wrapped up and protected from any light striking his eyes. I darkened the room and had him look down, and when he looked far down I lifted the upper lid and focused a strong light on the white part of his eye, first the artificial light and then the strong light of the sun.

     The effect was miraculous. He smiled and walked around the room, looked out the window, put on his hat and walked down the street and came back feeling first rate. Ever afterwards he enjoyed the light instead of suffering from it. All he needed was a little encouragement. Focusing the strong light in his eyes with the aid of the burning glass [focuses a very strong light on the sclera while the patient is looking down and the operator lifts the upper lid and focuses the light on the eyeball; Patients who were blinded by strong light flashed into their eyes from the violet end of the spectrum obtained from a very strong arc light, have been cured quite promptly by focusing the strong light of the sun, which I believe is stronger than most arc lights, into their eyes] and doing it right caused him no pain or discomfort whatever.”

Imagination Blindness: Throw Away Your Glasses by W.H. Bates, M.D.

Looking downward and Highway Hypnosis:

·          The eyes tend to converge when looking downward,

·          This leads to eyestrain (convergence insufficiency) and fatigue,

·          Fatigue causes an increase in activity in the subdominant brain (e.g. right brain),

·          Vision is processed subdominantly (e.g. left eye)--the right brain can process more information than the left brain: Binocular Functions: Conscious and Subconscious Vision

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