Women's Health Holistically! Tip-of-the-Month

Just Breathe!


Stress is an everyday part of life in American society. Even more so for women who are victims of domestic violence. Their “fight or flight” systems never get turned off because they must always be on alert for the next trigger that will set off their partner.

There are many ways to help alleviate stress. Some are simple and inexpensive and others require some time and money, but all of us, whether we are victims of abuse or not, need to teach our bodies how to “let go.”

One very simple way to reduce stress is by breathing correctly. One easy way to do this is something called the 3-part breath, which I’ll describe later in this article.

When we are in constant alert mode, our adrenals get over-stressed, our other body systems are over-taxed and this leads to many common diseases and conditions. So learning how to deal with stress is important.

When our sympathetic nervous system receives a message of danger, a cascade of events happens in our bodies, including the release of adrenaline. It sends blood to our limbs and increases our heart and breathing rates. We breathe more shallowly in our upper chest. Ancestrally, this prepared us to run from a physical threat, or to stay and fight.

After the danger is over, the body should get messages from the parasympathetic nervous system, which sends blood to the interior of our bodies so we can digest food and have a normal heart and breathing rate. Breath should come more deeply from the abdomen.

Today, with our fast-paced lives, we live in a constant low-level state of stress. When domestic violence is added to the mix, it becomes a higher level of constant stress. Our sympathetic nervous system “forgets” how to turn off and we end up always breathing with just the upper 1/3 of our lungs, which makes us anxious. Our digestion also suffers.

To help correct this imbalance, telling someone to “Just breathe,” without giving them instruction in how to do it can be frustrating. Their bodies just don’t remember how to do it. Babies know how instinctively. So do animals. But often we have forgotten how.

In 3-part breath, first, you place your hands on your upper chest and as you breathe in, you use only your upper chest muscles and make your hands rise and as you breathe out, your hands fall. Do this for several breath cycles. This is fairly easy for most people, but some of you will find yourself feeling a bit light-headed or anxious. That’s because you are not getting enough oxygen. This is the type of breathing done when people are stuck in the stress cycle.

The next step is a bit of a challenge. Put your hands on your lower rib cage and now breathe only with the muscles that widen the lower ribs. As you breathe in, your hands should move outward. As you breathe in, your fingers should move closer together. This takes some concentration, but once you get it, continue for a few breath cycles.

Next, place your hands on your belly with the fingertips of the left hand touching the fingertips of the right hand and when you breathe in, your fingers should move farther apart, as you breathe out, your fingers should come closer together. Only your belly should move.

For shallow breathers, this can be a real challenge, but keep trying. This is where your breath should come from. A muscle called the diaphragm essentially divides your body in half and is attached to the lower ribs It should drop as you breathe in, expanding the belly and making room for the lungs to expand. By doing this, we can get a full breath.

The last step is to combine all 3 levels. Place one hand on your upper chest and one hand on your belly. As you breathe in, first raise your belly, then expand your ribs in the middle and lastly, raise your upper chest. Hold for just a second and then reverse the process. Release the air in the upper chest, then the mid-ribs and finally let the belly relax.

As you become more adept at this, make the out-breath twice as long as the in-breath. This really releases toxins from the body. After several breath cycles, return to normal breathing, which should have the belly expanding to drop the diaphragm in order to expand the lungs.

To discover more ways to combat stress and maintain your health, come to the Waco Holistic Health Fair, Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10-4 at McLennan Community College Conference Center, 4601 N. 19th Street, Waco.

(Contributed by Jamie Graham, L.Ac., of Healing Touch Acupuncture. Jamie is a licensed acupuncturist and specialist in women's holistic health care. Visit her website here.)

Open Question: The Women of This Year's Election

I imagine we've all heard the news: two weeks ago, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain announced as his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin, a staunch conservative (which is not surprising) and a woman (which is.) After Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton's strong run for the Presidential nomination and her continued presence in the election year hoopla, gender has become one of the hottest topics of the impending election.

The general population, as reflected in the blogosphere and elsewhere, has pounced on this topic in an uncharacteristic way. One of the big questions is: will the case for a gender-equal society be strengthened or damaged by this highly complex situation? What conclusions are we to draw from the Hillary/Palin phenomenon?

I'm not an avid political fan, but I've watched the public reaction to both of these women very closely. The differences are pronounced, and many of them are expressed along gender lines. Some people are vigorously turned off by Hillary's aggressive, near-ruthless nature, and some people are vigorously turned off by Palin's conformist adherence to "soccer mom" stereotypes. All of these reactions are based not on the candidates' political fitness, but on our own gender-specific biases and perceptions. What gives?

Some of these perceptions and biases may be based in our own experiences of people in general and women in particular, but many more of them are based solely on cultural conditioning-- in other words, some of our responses aren't our responses at all, but instead responses that were inherited from the past. We've been taught to believe that certain things must be just this way, but the our experiences sometimes seem to offer a different opinion.

How do we know which are which, and why should we care?

I doubt there’s one simple answer to either question, but I have a few thoughts on the matter. When we choose or reject major political candidates based on some measure of their acceptability on a (supposedly) legally and philosophically outdated scale of “proper feminine behavior,” there’s obviously something wrong.

Is it the laws that are wrong? They clearly state that women are entitled to professional equality with men, and yet women who exhibit the traits necessary to make it as top political candidates face instant societal retribution, and are rejected with labels like “unfeminine,” "un-American," and much worse. Regardless of political stances, this election has been a nightmare of gender role stereotyping, in more ways than one. Hillary Clinton is not the only one affected; exactly how far from her current role as the pretty, proper, conservative female could Sarah Palin step without facing the same sort of censure that Hillary received?

Is it our culture that is wrong? We encourage our daughters to “be all that they can be,” while simultaneously conditioning them to reject such traits as assertiveness, cunning, and overt competitiveness. We still unconsciously support many of the stereotypes we claim to reject. We may not realize what we're doing, but when we encourage a girl to participate in debate club, and then frown on her when she exhibits an "unfeminine" urge to win at all costs, we send a horrible set of mixed messages. The evidence of these mixed messages has rarely been more publically obvious than it is now.

Is it me who is wrong, as an individual? Sometimes I wish we could get rid of gender altogether, or add three or four more categories, or…something, anything at all to shake up the rigid notions of what should be. There’s a not-so-hidden interplay of gender politics that places intolerable limits on individual achievement and growth; under a rigid either/or polarization of any kind, no one is free to produce their very best results. It's like being asked the question, "What would make the best pie? Grapes or fish?" and not being allowed to say, "Well, apples might be good. Or peaches. Or banana cream." If the only choices you have are grapes and fish, well, then grape or fish pie it is.

Is there anything we can do about cultural gender stereotyping? Indeed, is there anything we should do? And just who is supposed to answer these questions? Us?

I wish I knew....

(This post is purely the opinion of writer Laura F. Walton, and doesn't necessarily reflect anyone's thoughts but her own.)

Women's Health Holistically! Tip-of-the-Month

Toyohari for Women

Have you ever thought you might like to try acupuncture, but the thought of someone sticking a needle in you gives you the shivers? You are not alone. Our memories of childhood immunizations or other medical procedures leave much to be desired in the pain arena.

But acupuncture need not be painful. It actually doesn’t even have to involve needles. A Japanese form of acupuncture, called Toyohari Meridian Therapy, developed by blind practitioners in Japan and the subject of numerous studies showing it’s effectiveness is now available in Waco.

Toyohari is wonderful at treating a variety of women’s issues, including menstrual disorders, menopausal issues and infertility. It also works effectively with many issues from which women in this fast-paced society suffer. These include headaches, insomnia, stress and depression, just to name a few.

It also works well with neck pain and low back pain. The first time I got treated for low back pain, I was amazed at its efficacy. The sacral area of my lower back had felt achy and unstable for over 20 years, ever since a fall on my tailbone. One treatment and I got up feeling like my lower back could actually support me without pain. This sensation lasted for several months until I did some heavy lifting. Another treatment fixed this problem – all without inserting needles!

Another time, I had been feeling out of sorts, constantly on the verge of tears. One of my Toyohari cohorts did a quick treatment that took about 10 minutes. I got up from the table feeling refreshed and renewed.

This form of treatment has been the subject of numerous Japanese studies since WWII. It is relatively new in the U.S., with only about 100 practitioners of this style practicing here.

After WWII when General Douglas MacArthur oversaw the occupation of Japan, he wanted to Westernize the Japanese and outlawed several activities that were unique to the Japanese culture, such as martial arts and acupuncture.

At that time, the only two professions open to blind people were massage and acupuncture. The head of the acupuncture society knew that MacArthur also did not believe in social welfare. He appealed to his distaste of having to support so many blind people if they could no longer make a living. So acupuncture was allowed to remain.

In order to preserve their profession, the Japanese acupuncturists knew they had to do three things: Make it teachable, make it reproducible and do accurate research to prove its effectiveness. They have done all three since that time.

If you would like more information about this unique style of acupuncture, please call Jamie Graham at 759-8050.

(We hope you enjoy this new feature, authored by Jamie Graham, L.Ac., of Healing Touch Acupuncture. Jamie is a licensed acupuncurist and specialist in women's holistic health care. Visit her website here.)

Women In Business Networking Luncheon

Sponsored by the Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business Alliance regular networking luncheon is coming up.

The WIBA luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m, followed by a program by Sherry Perkins-Guillory titled "Communicating with Confidence and Charisma."

When: Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Where: Hampton Inn & Suites Marketplace
2501 Marketplace Drive Waco, TX 76711

Cost: $12.00

To R.S.V.P. contact Gail King at 254-235-3204 or gailk@centexchamber.com.

Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce
"Strengthening our community by empowering business"
Brazos River Plaza
715 Elm Avenue, Suite 107B
Waco, Texas 76704
(254) 235-3204
(254) 759-8593 fax
http://centexchamber.com

Women's Equality Day & Yay Vajayjay!

Happy Women's Equality Day, everyone!

From a National Women's History Project article:

"At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971 the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.

The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York...."

And on a related note, just how many ways can you say "vagina"? If you're etymologically challenged in this particular region, take a peek at The Frisky's article, Name That Vajayjay.

Happy hoo-ha to you, too....

Date Change! First '09 Vagina Monologues Meeting

If you received our August newsletter, you may have seen the announcement for the first 2009 Vagina Monologues meeting.

Please note: there's been a date change! The first Monologues meeting will be held on Wednesday September 10 at 6:30 at Basaberu (723 6th Street, near Taco Cabana, just off I-35.) If you need directions or have any questions, email Laura at info@vdaywaco.org .

At this meeting, we'll announce this year's venue, director and audition dates, plus talk about some great pre-Monologues benefit shows, fundraisers, and much more. There are so many ways to have fun and get involved-- we're also looking for someone to volunteer to be this year's official shutterbug, so if you enjoy taking and sharing pics, bring along a camera.

Spread the word!

Rape Prevention Tips

In 2006, Waco's official crime statistics reported 72 forcible rapes, a figure which is higher per capita than the state average (find more stats here at IDcide.com) Here are a few rape prevention tips that were passed along to us from a concerned friend. Thanks, Nancy!

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This is important information for females of ALL ages.

A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.

3) They also look for women on their cell phone,searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.

4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00 a.m. And 8:30 a.m.

5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store parking lots. Number two: Are office parking lots/garages. Number three: Are public restrooms.

6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another locationwhere they don't have to worry about getting caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.

8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.
Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.

10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is so cold out here,' 'we're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.

11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.


12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.

14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.


15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.


16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior,don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!! You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

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For those of you who are interested in further prevention tips, here are a few good links.

Aware (Arming Women Against Rape & Endangerment)- geared toward self-defense, including defensive weapons

No-Nonsense Self-Defense- another self-defense site, with specific information about preventing rape

Smarter Sex.org - Date rape is much more common than stranger-perpetrated rape, and often goes unreported. This page focuses on the topic.

Feel free to add links by posting a comment below. Knowledge is power!