Beautiful After the Belly

Diastasis Recti, Hernias, C-section and Ab Scarring, Belly Button, Pelvic Floor

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May 12, 2010

PICTURES! FINALLY – SOME BEFORE AND AFTER – diastasis/TUPLER TECHNIQUE PICS!!

Many of you have asked me to post pictures of people – before and after – with diastasis rehab and the tupler technique.  I have been slow to acquiesce because I don’t feel comfortable meeting a client and asking them if I can take pictures of an area they are very sensative about.  So I generally post stats – and several stats I have posted are very impressive, if I do say so myself.  The women I work with have had OUTSTANDING results.

However, those of you that are thinking about surgery to correct your abdominals LIKE the fact that a surgeon can show you some warm fuzzy pictures of pre and post surgery – tens of thousands of dollars between pictures, not to mention hours and hours of pain, and potential infection in between the warm fuzzy – pre and post surgery pictures.

One of my clients mentioned to me after her 3rd visit – that she had taken pictures of herself, as well as some video footage.  I asked permission to post these, and she has kindly agreed.

Here is a brief history – which I will replace with her own words once she emails me with her story.  In a nutshell.  D.P. (we will call her)  comes from a dancing background.  She danced with various dance companies in her past.  After pregnancy, she was left with severely split recti.  She was told immediatly by her OB GYN after the birth that she would need surgery to correct it, but that it would be very painful.  She was also told that because of the nature of her split – the netting needed to basically  paste and sew to the muscles would have a high risk of getting infected.  She saw two SURGEONS who gave her the same scenarios.  The first pictures you can see the organs are protruding out the abdominal walls – there are no muscles holding them in, so client felt like her belly looked several months pregnant, when she was not.

I began to work with D.P. 8 weeks ago.  Her total background was unbeknownst to me until our 3rd session.  We went through the normal session – measuring her diastasis (5 fingerwidths on top, 6 in the middle, and 4 on the bottom), going over the exercises – seated tuplers, elevators, pelvic tilts, kegels, headlifts (our version of the crunch which does NOT bulge out the recti) and showed which exercises not to do (CRUNCHES, JACKNIVES, etc).  WAIST MEASURES 32 3/4 INCHES.

We met a 2nd time – 2 weeks later, going over the advanced variations and isolating different parts of the diastasis, along with obliques, and postural correction stretches and exercises.  Her diastasis was a 2 deep on top, 4 deep in the middle, and a 3 deep on the bottom.

We met a 3rd time – 4 weeks later (during the past 6 weeks, client does 5 sets of 100 seated tuplers daily, and other exercises as directed).  Client measured shallow 2 on top, 3 in the middle, and shallow 3 on the bottom.  It was at this time D.P. took these photos.  A couple days before our 3rd session, her OB looked at her and told her her abdominals “looked pretty good – maybe she DIDN’T need any surgery.”  She then told him she was seeing me – and that she was doing exercises to correct the diastasis.  Waist measured 30 INCHES.

HIS RESPONSE?  “I’VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT!”  (classic!)  

You will notice the belly button was an “outie”- and is now and “innie” and you will notice the organs protrude FAR LESS, and her belly looks supported.  The muscle tone is MUCH better, and the waist is noticably smaller.  This is all without any dietary changes – its JUST the exercises.

There is still room to go – approx 3 fingerwidths all the way down – but a MARKED improvement.  And her status has gone from IMMINENT SURGERY to NOT NEEDING SURGERY – in 6 weeks.

May 10, 2010

Sea salt vs. Table salt – what is the difference? Is one better than the other?

 I had always heard its much harder to “oversalt” your foods with sea salt, and that it “melts in your mouth” and is not refined.

THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

Take heart those of you worried about high blood pressure and heart disease – you do not have to suffer tastlessly through life!!  This is just one more example of how the refinement of food has left us with not only a sour taste in our mouth (no pun intended) but it has left of with risk of blood pressure and disease, and water retention.  Just as refined flour has left us with an insulin resistance and overweight people, just as refined sugar has left us with the same thing.  ALL NUTRIENTS stripped away – left only with the bad, with nothing inherent to counteract because its all been stripped away.

(from buzzle.com) Though mainly sodium chloride, sea salt and table salt are different from each other, both with respect to the way they are obtained from nature and their nutritive value. Sea salt is considered to be more beneficial for health as compared to table slat, due to over 80 nutritive substances present in it.

Sea Salt Sea salt is the unrefined salt that is obtained by simply evaporating the water from the seas or oceans. Sea water is channeled into man-made pools along protected shores, and is then left under the Sun till all the water gets evaporated. What is left behind in the pools is sea salt. Sea salt is 98% sodium chloride, while the remaining 2% is made of other important minerals like iron, sulfur, magnesium and other trace elements. Due to higher mineral content, sea salts are more flavored than table salt. Sea salts are used as crust for baked potatoes. Chefs also use it in French or Thai cuisines. Table Salt The common table salt is 99.9% sodium chloride. It is obtained from the terrestrial salt deposits which are mined, heat-blasted and chemically treated. Due to these processes, table salt is stripped of all minerals other than sodium and chloride. Some anti-caking agents are added to table salt to make it free flowing. Although, initially table salt which had just sodium and chlorine as the only minerals was consumed by people, later on, salt manufacturers started adding iodine to it to prevent people from suffering from iodine deficiency diseases. Table Salt Vs. Sea Salt


Besides the difference in the manufacturing process, sea salt and table salt differ in the following ways:

  • While sodium and chlorine are the only minerals contained in table salt, sea salt has other minerals like iron, sulfur and magnesium naturally present in them. This increases the nutritive value of sea salt as compared to table salt. The various minerals present in sea salt helps us to maintain a healthy balance of the various electrolytes in the body.
  • The refining process of table salt strips it of all of its minerals, other than sodium and chloride. This makes it an unnatural substance as compared to sea salt, and contributes to high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases. On the other hand, health benefits of sea salt include, inducing proper sleep, promoting efficient working of the liver, kidneys and the adrenal glands. Sea salts also boost the immune system of the body and don’t cause high blood pressure like refined table salt.
  • Although, due to the higher mineral content, sea salt may be considered to be a healthier choice than table salt, it has its own drawbacks. One major disadvantage of sea salt is that it is a poor source of iodine. The iodine that is added during the refining process of table salt makes it a better source of iodine than sea salt.
  • Another health concern that sea salt raises, is the fact that it is obtained from sea water that contains a number of impurities. The sea water is neither boiled nor treated, as that would make it lose the minerals that gives it all its nutritive value.
  • Table salt is fine, white crystals. Sea salt on the other hand may have a slight grayish color if they are from the coastal areas of France, or may pinkish hue if it came from some other exotic locale. It may be coarse or fine grained.
  • Due to the presence of many minerals, sea salt is not as ‘salty’ as table salt. It may be slightly flavored.

Some retailers may sell sea salts that are fine-grained and white in
color. If you want to enjoy the
advantages of sea salt, be sure that it is the unrefined one and
contains the minerals that gives it an edge over table salt.
AS FOR US IN OUR FAMILY – WE GET OUR AT (WHERE ELSE?)
Trader Joes and Aldi’s.
  It would be worth making sure that what you get is NOT REFINED!                                                                                                                                                                       So where to get iodine?  MAYO (yep!) EGGS, Sea foods.
  I also figure I eat enough of food other places
that I know is salted with table salt which has iodine added to it.
We also eat enough eggs that it is no worry.
Have you tried sea salt?  Where do you get your sea salt?

May 5, 2010

Mummy Tummy friendly GYROTONICS

 click HERE to view Naomi Campbells gyrotonics workout  

This was featured on Oprah a few days ago.  I was VERY impressed that most of these – at least the ones I saw her doing were for the most part mummy tummy friendly.  The one where her legs are in a 90 degree angle, I would raise the feet closer to the head for that one, small of the back on the ground, but otherwise great.

I love workouts that lengthen the body AND and are “mummy tummy” friendly.  SO many workouts I see are NOT mummy tummy friendly, meaning they make the diastasis larger or CREATE one by the forward forceful movement of the abdominals.

WHAT IS GYROTONICS: 
Derived from words for “circle” and “stretch,” Gyrotonic works your body in a decidedly nonlinear way through a fusion of expressive-looking circular movements. Combining elements of dance, yoga, swimming, t’ai chi and gymnastics, it’s a liberating experience — a way to exercise outside the lines.

“There’s something about the 360-degree orientation that wakes up the spirit,” says Janet Rupp, a four-year Gyrotonic student at White Cloud studio in Boulder, Colo., who shifted to Gyrotonic from Pilates and hiking at age 58.

“It’s playful and fluid,” Rupp adds. “We tend to take ourselves so seriously. This adds lightness to life.”
“Gyrotonic brings that circular motion,” he says. “It’s unique in that you’re using your muscles throughout their range.”

“Gyrotonic increases the functional capacity of the entire organism,” says Matt Aversa, vice president and COO of the Gyrotonic International Headquarters. “Even if you’re just playing ping-pong, it helps.”

HOW IS GYROTONICS DIFFERENT THAN PILATES OR YOGA?
Gyrotonic is “more expansive” than yoga, says Gyrotonic Master Trainer Alice Diamond, who opened her Boulder, Colo., studio after studying personally with Horvath. “There’s more balance between strength and openness,” she says, “and more emphasis on rotation and spiraling movements.”
Aversa says Gyrotonic also differs from yoga and Pilates because there’s “no end point in the movements.” Pilates is more linear; yoga is more static; and Gyrotonic is both circular and fluid. In fact, Gyrotonic can actually accelerate advancement in your yoga practice, says Aversa, allowing you to get into difficult positions more easily.

Aversa also points out one way that Gyrotonic is different from toning or weight-training work: “In Gyrotonic we use resistance to open the body — to leverage rather than to build mass.”
More info on GYROTONICS HERE

Has anyone out there tried Gyrontonics?  Did you love it?  Did you do machines or non-machine gyrotonics?

Also, if you watch the link above to the video –  I thought the jumproping was a great tip to thin that part of the face!

April 29, 2010

Is my diastisis recti genetic? Comparing moms and daughters…

I have been asked this recently so I thought I would highlight a couple of the moms and daughter duos I have taught recently.

It does make sense that diastasis recti’s CAN run in families, if the daughter inherits the same size torso as their mom, and perhaps carries similarly.  Perhaps even the integrity of the muscle could have a genetic component.

Some daughters, of course, will carry babies differently than their moms.  Some women carry different child to child.  Some daughters will have inherited torso’s more along their dad’s genetic lines.

Obviously, the shorter the torso, the more likely a birth will result in a diastasis recti.  The longer the torso, the more room the baby has – generally, to spread out.  Since up to 98% of women get diastasis recti ( I personally have only measure THREE women out of probably 1000 + that have not gotten a diastasis postpartum) it can be theorized that those women with a longer torso will perhaps split less than the shorter counterparts.

The other question:  Given the same instruction and technique verification, would both mom and daughter tend to close their diastasis at the same pace?  Of course, there are many factors – strength, daily habits, how often they do the exercises, etc.  But it will be interesting none the less to observe:

Lets meet the first mom and daughter duo.
MOM AND DAUGHTER # 1: The daughter and mom were both around the same height – around 5 “6 and fairly thin women.  They each had 3 kids.  The daughter (30s) meausred THREE fingerwidths is all three places – at the belly button, three inches above, and three inches below the belly button.  The mom (60s) measured a  THREE fingerwidths at the belly button, three inches below, and was CLOSED at the top. 

After 7 weeks (8 classes) both mom and daughter TOTALLY CLOSED their diastasis and were rock solid.  Each lost an inch + in their waist.

So far:  mom and daughter 1 had VERY similar diastasis recti, and both closed their diastasis totally after 7 weeks, and both lost inches in their waist.

MOM AND DAUGHTER #2:  Both mom (60s) and daughter (30s) were similar in height – 5″4 and 5″5 respectively.  The daughter had 3 kids, the mom 3 kids also. The daughter measured FIVE fingerwidths at the middle, 2 fingerwidths at the top, and 3 fingerwidths at the bottom.  The mom measured FIVE fingerwidths at the middle, 3 fingerwidths at the top, and 2 1/2 fingerwidths at the bottom.  After 3 weeks (4 classes) the daughter was CLOSED at the top, Three in the middle, and CLOSED at the bottom.  The mom was CLOSED at the top, Three in the middle, and CLOSED at the bottom.

So VERY similar initial diastasis recti.  Just a slight variation.  The rate at CLOSING the diastasis is the same.  VERY marked progress in both.  BOTH WOMEN wear the SPLINT
and both did around 4 to 5 sets of 100 of the SEATED TUPLERS each day.

SUMMARY:  SO FAR it seems there is a definite genetic component both with the size of diastasis recti in mothers and daughters and both in the RATE of being able to close the diastasis.

THOUGHTS?  If you have a diastasis, mention it to your mom or daughter.  If they have one, they could be experiencing back aches because the function of the recti is both to hold in your organs AND give back support.  Also, of course is the cosmetic component – everything will fit better and look better and the waist will be smaller AFTER closing the diastasis recti.  Next time, I will have a look at SISTERS!!  If you have experienced a diastasis recti, your sister could as well – let her know!!

Do you have a mom, daughter or sister that has a similar diastasis as you do?  Measure and let us know!

April 22, 2010

Cilantro Pesto – SOOOO GOOD!

So, since I can get cilantro SO cheap around here, I end up getting 4 for $1.  Thus I can sometimes go CRAZY trying to get that all used before it goes bad on me.

But what I realized is that Cilantro Pesto is basically the BEST THING EVER!!

Tonite I put it with sauteed red bell peppers, zuchinni, scallions, shrimp, red quinoa, brown rice, and couscous – it tasted SO DANG GOOD.

And since its not QUITE time to plant basil, and fresh basil is $$$  I thought I would share the recipe:

CILANTRO PESTO:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried (approx. 3 cups loosley packed)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts, walnuts or macadamia nuts (I used NON roasted walnuts to retain the nutritional benefit)
2 cloves garlic (I discovered, it HAS to be from an actual clove, not the minced from a jar to make it WAY better)
1 TBS lime juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
Dash pepper

Put all of the above in a food processor or blender until processed to a uniform consistency.

For those of you that grow Lemon Balm in your garden, you can also make LEMON BALM pesto.  I know, who knew?!?!

Just repeat the same thing as above using 2 cups lemon balm and 1 TBS fresh chives, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 TBS lemon juice and 3 cloves garlic. That is all my recipe says, but  I think I also add in walnuts and parm cheese in similar proportions above. However if you are vegan or allergic to tree nuts – perfect for you AS IS!

You can also do OREGANO pesto using the same ratios as the 1st recipe, but used 1/2 cup fresh oregano, 1/2 cup fresh basil, and 2 TBS parsley, and bump up the lemon juice to 3 TBS and add more cloves of garlic if you like more zing. Everything else – olive oil, parm cheese, nuts, sea salt – the same quantities as the 1st recipe.

Any other great pesto ideas out there?

April 16, 2010

I used to have an "innie" belly button before pregnancy. Now its an "outie" – what can I do?

I get this question here and there – a side effect from pregnancy, being an OUTIE belly button, when they were an INNIE.  And it IS a cosmetic in question, in part, but also a question of chaffing and inconvenience.  That belly button can rub against your clothing and get irritated.

Never Fear – The Tupler Technique is here.

But does it REALLY reverse my belly button woes?  YES…IF;

  • Your technique is correct
  • If you squeeze and hold the transverse muscle back adequately during the exercises.
  • If you wear a Splint  – especially while you work out, and during the day.  Even at night for those of you jacknifer’s-out-of-bed-when-baby-cries gals.
  • If a hernia is not the primary cause of the altered belly button

In the women I have measured and seen, usually its the women who have a larger diastasis – split in the recti muscles – that get an outie belly button.

One women I am training right now – is doing AWESOME with this.  In two weeks, not only did she bring her recti in TWO fingerwidths (learn how to measure here) from her original measurment of 6 fingerwidths right at the belly button, and she also brought her waist in from a 33 1/2  to a 31 1/4 – that is TWO and 1/4 inches.  I know I have had a couple people request pics – I will start compiling a collection for my clients who are willing 🙂  AND she REVERSED  her belly button from an outie to an innie!!  And that just TWO weeks people!!!

As you might have guessed she wore a Splint 
and she did 6 sets a day of  Seated Tuplers.

Thats it!  Oh, and she made sure she didn’t jackknife out of bed, of course – and none of the prohibited movements- CRUNCHES, Pilated 100, Teaser, Side to Side Obliques, etc.

So take hope, my newly adquired OUTIE friends, you CAN get your innie back!

April 13, 2010

Is it too late ? I had kids 30 years ago….Can I fix my belly?

The answer is OF COURSE ITS NOT TOO LATE!!  The oldest person I have taught in my classes was 72 years old and she had – count them – THIRTEEN kids.  She was a great grandma.

This past week I had a class that was ending, and since I always look at before and after results, I was very impressed with “Gran” that was taking my class.  She is 62 years old, and 5 of her sisters also took the class too.

Her diastasis was 3 fingerwidths at the belly button, and 3 fingerwidths  3 inches above the belly button.  After the 8 week class we had – she TOTALLY CLOSED her diastasis.  She looked TOTALLY FANTASTIC if I do say so myself, and TRULY HAD

ROCK

SOLID

ABS

because she got those recti together, and toned and firmed everything up using her TRANSVERSE muscle to work everything else.

Case and point – there is NO statute of limitations.  It doesn’t matter if you had your baby or babies 3 days ago, 30 PLUS years ago, or if you are pregnant.  You CAN use that transverse abdominals to bring your recti muscles together and you can make your midsection look GREAT at ANY AGE!!!!

April 10, 2010

Can I measure my own diastasis? Is that what is causing my funky midsection?

Yes, YOU can measure your own diastasis.  You don’t need a doctor or a surgeon to measure it.  Many doctors don’t even know HOW to measure it, in my experience.  But you can take control and empower yourself with how to find out if its a DIASTASIS that is causing that “I-can’t-put-my-finger-on-it-but-my-midsection-does-not-look-normal” look.

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Lay on your back (getting down by laying on your side and walking your hands down).
  • Bend your knees
  • Place your straightened fingers perpendicular to your body RIGHT at your belly button.
  • Lift your head just a little

If you have a diastasis you will feel a valley or a gully.
THE MEASUREMENT:  How many fingers can you place in the gully when you FIRST start to feel the muscles engage around your fingers?  Is it 1 fingerwidth?  Is it 2 fingerwidths?  3?  4?  5?  6?  7?  8? more?

  • REPEAT if you don’t know what your measurement was the first time by putting your head BACK down and then lifting it up just a LITTLE with your hands in place until you feel the muscles engage around the fingers again
  • REPEAT 3 inches ABOVE the belly button
  • REPEAT 3 inches BELOW the belly button

That’s it – then you will know your  measurments of your diastasis!

TROUBLESHOOTING?
“I can’t feel the muscle engage around my fingers”
You may be putting your head up too high.  Or if your pregnant, you will fill a protruding ridge rather than a gully, depending on how far along your are.  Or if you are a larger measurement like a 6 or 7, you will need to measure with BOTH HANDS.

Many people think its gross when they feel it for the first time.   But knowing is half the battle, as my husband always says.

SO GO FOR IT!!  Find out if the diastasis is causing a bulge, or unsightly look in your abdominals!  What did you find out?

April 6, 2010

Flax Seed Part 3: Blueberry Flaxseed Kefir Shake

My third and final installment on flaxseed:  Using flaxseeds in shakes.
I have to say it totally MAKES the shake good for me.  Just like fresh press garlic MAKES guacamole for me.

I have this particular shake every other morning.  I like to change it up so my body doesn’t get too used to something or start producing antibodies towards something it gets too much of, and its especially good for making sure my body doesn’t get stuck in a rut or plateauing if I am wanting to lose weight.

So here it is:

8 ounces or 1 cup Kefir (I have starters for any of you who live by me!)
1/3 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
2 TBS fructose sweetened protein powder (I use cookies n cream flavored by Herbalife)
2 TBS flaxseed
1 TBS black sesame seeds (VERY good for brightening the eyes – I found in china town for way cheap)
1 TBS coix seed (optional – but VERY good for brightening the eyes and complexion –  I found in china town for way cheap)

I whirl it around in my vitamix for 20 seconds – I don’t like it freezing cold anymore – just cool.  Any blender should do.

And WHALAH – its so good, and keeps me full – tons of great beneficial probiotics and beneficial yeasts from the kefir and omega 3s and fantastic nutty taste from the flax seed, protein from the powder, powerful antioxidants from the blueberries, eye and complexion brighteners from the seeds.  What a GREAT way to start the day!

What powerful breakfast food(s) to you have in the morning?

March 25, 2010

Flax Seed Part 2: Making peanut butter with flax seed

So another one of my favorite things to do with flax seed?  Peanut Butter!  YUM!  Once you make your own peanut butter, it is very hard to go back to regular peanut butter.  Why?  The easiest way for me to describe it – it takes synthetic, plastic, and a little off (store bought, that is).  Most peanut butter  – skippy, jif, peter pan – is just loaded with HFCS ( High Fructose Corn Syrup).  HFCS wreaks havoc with weight loss, childhood obesity, the spare tire look because it creates a HUGE spike in your Insulin levels, which is the FAT STORING hormone.

Anyhoo – this peanut butter might feel different to your palate if its accustomed to having the plastic-like smoothness of regular peanut butter.  But after a few times  – you will slowly begin to prefer it.  And then you will wince at the regular peanut butter you once thought of as a comfort-ally.

For this recipe, you will need a Vita-Mix or other high speed blender. 
Don’t worry so much about the price listed, you can totally get them refurbished for about $150 less, and free shipping.  Call the company and get on their mailing list if you want one refurbished and free shipping, they are always sending out specials!

PEANUT BUTTER WITH FLAX SEED AND STEVIA
16 oz. Unsalted Peanuts
3 TBS flax seed
1/2 tsp SEA SALT (or to taste)
1 tsp stevia, if desired

Blend on high, using a tamper to quicker grind it all up into peanut butter.  Once it “chugs” 3 times, then turn it off (or you will overheat the blender).
HOW TO SERVE:
On BROWN-RICE Rice Cakes.
Its also good with craisins on top – yum!
WHAT GOOD IDEAS do you have for flax seed – please share!