Musical MELT for Hands

MELT is the first self-treatment technique for connective tissue, and one of the cornerstones of MELT is the Hand Treatment.

During the application of the MELT Hand Treatment, you use three small balls of different sizes and textures in a structured way. It takes about 15 minutes to do, and after you are done, the hands feel lighter, more energized and have greater flexibility, But it does not end there. Because hands function like a 'portal' into the connective tissue system of the body, the effects of the MELT Hand Treatment extend up into the shoulders and neck.

I love to use the little balls on my own hands and have instructed many people in their use.

A few weeks ago, I was particularly lucky with my participants. They were members of our own North Carolina Symphony orchestra, and MELT was very warmly received. It meant a lot to me because I have been a supporter of the North Carolina Symphony for many years and love to go to their concerts.

I attended the patron appreciation concert two days after the MELT Hand demonstration, and I could have sworn they sounded even better than they usually do. But maybe it was my imagination........

The End of Overeating

Today I want to tell you about a book that I checked out from our local library a few weeks ago. It is called ‘The End of Overeating’; its author is Dr. David Kessler MD.

When I discuss with people personal fitness training, the wish to lose weight is almost always on top of the list. The newspapers are full of articles about the ‘obesity epidemic’. There is no shortage of diet books and programs. It is a huge industry only topped by the food industry trying to get us to eat even more.

Whether it is the Atkins’, grapefruit or Ornish diet; regardless of whether you go to Weight Watchers or L.A. Weight Loss: all of these programs work because they have one thing in common: they reduce the number of calories consumed.

Given the number of successful programs, we should be a nation of skinny people. Something obviously is missing, and I found interesting answers in Dr. Kessler’s book.

The mechanism of ‘conditioned hyper-eating’ as he calls is well explained with light shone onto the food industry as well as the individual as he or she is responding to it.

This book was of particular interest to me as I have never been overweight, and yet, I desperately want to help those who are. I have a certification as a Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). I can whole-heartedly recommend Dr. Kessler’s book to all who have tried every diet there is. It may just give that empowering knowledge to take up the fight one more time.

On a personal note: the fact that I have ideal weight has little to do with personal virtue. When I get stressed, food is the last thing I can - literally – stomach. And while I do not live in a constant state of stress, handling the over-abundance of food is simply easy for me.

If we all still lived in caves, I would no longer be alive; but then, if we still lived in caves, you would hardly need to read a blog written by a personal trainer. 

The French Paradox

 

We all have heard about the so-called French paradox: it is claimed that the French have all that good food, drink plenty of wine, and yet obesity does not appear to be a problem in France.

Greater minds than mine have tried to figure that one out. However, I have just spent a few days in Paris and have my own observations to add to the debate.

Indeed, I rarely saw an overweight person as I was meandering the streets and museums and eating at restaurants (except for the tourists).

Paris is full of little bistros and brasseries, and on every corner there is a small kiosk selling baguettes with cheese and cold cuts. I did not see one ‘All-You-Can-Eat’ buffet style restaurant. There were a few McDonald’s but the golden arches were not allowed to compete with the Eiffel tower.

The main thing I noticed about the food at restaurants was the portion size. It was not out of proportion. When I ordered a scoop of ice cream for dessert, the scoop was not the size of a baseball but rather a golf ball.

And something else to notice when you ask for the bill: food is expensive.

Maybe the secret to the French paradox is not so complicated after all?