Beautiful After the Belly

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

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February 16, 2012

My new LOVE – coconut oil – great for moms – skin, weight loss, wrinkles…

So I have been in love with coconut oil for awhile.  My husband is fully aware – he does not mind.  Especially after I told him there are 160 – (and more) uses for coconut oil.  Now he loves it too! It will seriously rock your world!

My favorites of the 160 are things my postpartum and pregnant moms will love:

WEIGHT LOSS! How you ask?  This one lowers the insulin levels in the body, which contribues to a SHRINKING “spare tire” look for your midsection.  This will complement everything you are doing to bring the recti together!! Also naturally increases metabolic rate.

On a personal note, I started using when I was 4 mo PP.  I was still at the sometimes stubborn 115 (for being 5 ‘2 this shows as being a bit too high.  My norm is 108-110).  I would generally eat this two ways – fry my eggs in it in the morning with a bit a sea salt – and OH HEAVEN!!  The other way?  I love it with homemade peanut butter on rice cakes – just smear some on the top – WOW!!  and YUM!  It seriously rocked my world.  I did nothing else different, and when I weighed myself a couple of weeks later – down to 110.

INCREASES MILK SUPPLY:  Attention all my breast-feeding moms – YES!!  You have to ingest 3 1/2 TBS per day.  This is EASY to do if you have it on TOAST, PEANUT BUTTER AND RICE CAKE, etc. 

I saw on Suzanne Sommers website (I think she has a lot of things right and some good quality eats!) that she was selling chocolate coconut bars made with organic coconut oil for $19.00.  Well, the frugalista in me thought I could duplicate that for way less! 

I mixed 3 TBS coconut oil with 5 TBS shredded coconut and thinly sliced almonds. I formed little coconut patties on a silicone pad.   Double boiled 3 OUNCES of chocolate and then poured it on each one.  It made about 10.  Stuck them in the freezer for 10 minutes and WHALAH!!!  Maybe a $2 effort.

GOOD FOR WRINKLES:  YES!  You can put this right on the eye area, including the eye lids!  You can put this on the forehead.  In the winter (I like this one for night-time) your skin just sucks it up!!No toxins like most skin care products out there.  Lots of antioxidant properties!  Also – PUT ON YOUR BELLY AND THIGHS after a shower – reduces cell-u-lite!!  In both cases it promotes healing of the skin’s connective tissue.  ALL my clients ask about the belly skin – here you go!

INSULIN LEVELS: Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose making it great for both diabetics and non-diabetic.  Again – good news for the “spare tire” to shrink.

EYE PAMPERING:  Good for puffy eyes, eye bags, eye wrinkles!

CHAPPED LIPS:  Extra on a butter knife?  Use it on your chapped lips.  Makes them look (and taste!) good.  Natural SPF of 4.

FITNESS: coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat while increasing muscle.
NAUSEA – rub some coconut oil on the inside for the wrist and forearm to calm an upset stomach.

PREGNANT ? – A SPECIAL LINK HERE FOR YOU!

The OVERALL rundown – PREPARE TO BE IMPRESSED
COCONUT OIL PROPERTIES:

  1. Anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum diseases, and other bacterial infections)
  2. Anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system)
  3. Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infection)
  4. Anti-inflammatory (appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue, and it may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation.)
  5. Anti-microbial/Infection Fighting (the medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found in coconut oil are the same as those in human mother’s milk, and they have extraordinary antimicrobial properties. By disrupting the lipid structures of microbes, they inactivate them. About half of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Lauric acid, its metabolite monolaurin and other fatty acids in coconut oil are known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. While not having any negative effect on beneficial gut bacteria, coconut oil inactivates undesirable microbes.)
  6. Anti-parasitic (fights to rid the body of tapeworms, lice and other parasites)
  7. Anti-protozoa (kills giardia, a common protozoan infection of the gut)
  8. Anti-retroviral (kills HIV and HLTV-1)
  9. Anti-viral (kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other viruses)
  10. Infection fighting
  11. Has no harmful for discomforting side effects
  12. Known to improve nutrient absorption (easily digestible; makes vitamins and minerals more available to the body)
  13. Nontoxic to humans and animals
So yes – I am taking the plunge when my tax returns come in and getting a 5 gallon container!  Aparently HERE is a good place to get it.  Once a month they have free shipping.  It is EXPENSIVE, but considering all its uses, worth its weight in gold! OH  – and make SURE You get the good kind or all the things touted will be questionble.  Nutiva is great!  Trader Joes also has some.  And Tropical Traditions brand is good!

Have you ever tried this?  Do you love it?  How do YOU use it?

January 23, 2012

Kettlebells for ABS? Not so much – beware the postpartum body!

So I see some NOT great things with kettlebells, especially for my postpartum gals!  One of these exercises is great, the other three – NO!  (The formatting is being weird for me – click below video)


Kettlebell Exercises for the Abs – — powered by ehow

In this video, I LOVE the first exercise for those of you with a diastasis, but who have already started STRENGTHENING the transverse with the Seated Tuplers.  If you can hold you transverse at the 5th floor, you are good to go for this one!

The second exercise in this video…UMM…a big NO for those of you with a diastasis!  WHY you ask?  Because of the SHEARING motion – it will make your diastasis worse!  IF you DONT have a diastasis anymore, this one should be fine, although I don’t like the rounded shoulder motion  – there is too much of that in everyday life that we have to undo!

The brings me to my complaint of the THIRD exercise – too much ROUNDING of the shoulder!  I work SO hard with my clients to undo that ROUNDED SHOULDER – such a problem for mom doing all those tasks that round the shoulders – nursing, feeding babies, food prep, computer, changing diapers – we need to constantly focus on opening up the chest and strengthening that upper back to CORRECT IT!  Also – look CLOSELY at this ladies abs – there is a FOREWARD FORCEFUL MOTION – which can CREATE  a diastasis!

My experience with kettlebells are to generally steer clear. Having said that I sometimes see decent exercises, but I feel too many of them are jarring for the shoulder complex in general, rounding of the shoulder,  and are prone to creating a foreward forceful motion of the abs! Some of the places I train at – when I see other trainers doing these with clients and see what is going on with their clients abs – I JUST CRINGE!!!! YIKES!

January 19, 2012

No belly check this week!!

The Oak Park Belly Check is cancelled due to a scheduling error!  So sorry for the inconvenience!!
I will be doing a workshop in Oak Park in the spring – stay tuned!

January 18, 2012

Tupler Technique® Article in REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE!!

More and more articles are being posted – getting the word out about the Tupler Technique ®.

One of the girls in my class last night asked me if I had seen the article about it in JANUARY REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE?  I just got sent the info about it today from Diastasis Rehab headquarters!

There was also an article in JANUARY VOGUE   in Spanish.
http://www.vogue.es/galerias/como-conseguir-un-abdomen-perfecto/6050/image/471615

The word continues to get out!!

December 14, 2011

ALL NEW Before and After Pictures – DIastasis Recti and Waist Size down to 23"!

You might remember client MJ from several posts ago.  But I thought a separate post was warranted with her results…there are several things to add, along with the new pictures!

 CLIENT MJ
 Not only did Client MJ, who initially had 2 C sections and an umbilical hernia get down to a
23 3/4 INCH WAIST (week 6 picture shown at 24 inches), AND her DIASTASIS RECTI is CLOSED, but HER HERNIA ALSO POPPED BACK IN!! 

DIASTASIS
waist
upper
middle
lower
Week 1
27
3
4
5
Week 2
1.5
2.25
3.5
Week 6
24 3/8
closed
1.5
2 VS
Week 12
23 3/4
closed
closed
.25 VS
DAY 1
WEEK 6 – 24 in wasit

DAY 1 -27 inch waist
WEEK 6 – 24 inch Waist

December 2, 2011

check your belly before you wreck your belly – STAY TUNED FOR MONDAY GLOBAL PRESS RELEASE..

To receive a media pass for the Monday, December 5, 1:00pm ET press briefing, contact:

Julie Huang, Kaimen Company for Tupler Inc.

(888) 989-8808 x703

julie@kaimenco.com

Twitter: @huangjulie

Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly™
Global Public Service Announcement

  Press Briefing in NYC will be live and streamed from www.ustream.tv/channel/checkyourbelly on Monday, December 5, 1:00pm ET –

– Info Card on “How to Check Your Belly” and the “Nurse’s Note” to Give to Fitness Instructors will both be available for download on Monday, December 5 –


– Calendar of Free Belly Checks will be posted online on Monday, December 5 –

New York, NY, December 2, 2011 – Just in time for the 2012 New Year, Tupler Inc. today launches the “Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly” global public service announcement to ask that everyone check their bellies for a diastasis, a separation of the outermost abdominal muscles, before starting any new workout regimen. This announcement includes a live press briefing from Union Square, New York City, that will be streamed from www.ustream.tv/channel/checkyourbelly on Monday, December 5, 1:00pm ET.

The Twitter handle is @diastasisrehab and the Twitter hashtag is #checkyourbelly.

“When your belly gets worse or won’t go away with exercise, it may not be fat. It may be your organs sticking out,” said Julie Tupler, RN, the creator of the Tupler Technique® and President of Tupler Inc. “Checking your belly for a diastasis before starting your New Year’s fitness resolution may be one of the smartest things you can do for yourself because it may help stop you from wrecking your belly. At our press briefing on Monday, we will show you how to check your belly for a diastasis. If you know you have a diastasis, then there are certain exercises to avoid because these exercises may make the belly even bigger. When the abdominal muscles separate the connective tissue stretches sideways and becomes weaker. When you do planks and crunches, you are creating intra-abdominal pressure that pushes against the connective tissue. This force makes the separation larger. Trauma to this abdominal connective tissue can tear it away from the muscle and cause a ventral hernia.”

She continued, “As part of our Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly Campaign, we have created new easy-to-use informational materials to make it easier for women, men, and children to check their bellies for a diastasis and understand the dangers of unchecked bellies. I’ve personally signed a “Nurse’s Note” that you can download on Monday from www.diastasisrehab.com/belly-check.html and give to your fitness professional or child’s gym teacher to be excused from doing planks or crunches.”

About the Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly™ Campaign The Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly™, sponsored by Tupler Inc., consists of three key program elements all of which will be made available on Monday, December 5.

1. Live Press Briefing on December 5 at 1:00pm ET in New York which will also be webcast from www.ustream.tv/channel/checkyourbelly
2. Free downloadable materials on www.diastasisrehab.com/belly-check.html, including:


  • Wallet-sized “Check Your Belly Before You Wreck Your Belly” informational card

  • Wallet-sized “Nurse’s Note” to give to fitness professionals

  • Tupler Technique® Tips with helpful hints on the 4 step program

3. A calendar of where and when free belly checks will take place and done by these licensed Tupler Technique® providers:
California www.abseparationrehab.comColorado www.peainthepodfitness.com

Illinois www.strongtummies.com and www.beautifulafterthebelly.blogspot.com

Maryland reclaimyourcore.blogspot.com

Massachusetts www.yourhealthsense.com

Michigan www.coremamas.com

Montana www.maternalfitnessMT.com New York www.BodyAlignPT.com and www.Core-Complete.com and www.MotherMassage.net

Tennessee www.forwardpt.com

Washington www.abdominalfix.com and www.thetummyteam.comAustralia www.thebellyfirm.com.au and www.tummyzip.com.au
Brazil www.rafaelarosa.com.br
Canada www.kangaroofitness.ca
England www.tummytribe.com

If you are a medical or fitness professional and would like to license the program and bring this program to your area, please contact (212) 388-1308 or info@diastasisrehab.com for more information.

Schedule of Activities on December 5
All activities listed below take place at the Seafarers & International House, located at 123 E. 15th St, 2nd Floor, on Monday, December 5.

1:00pm Press Briefing, which will be broadcast live:www.ustream.tv/channel/checkyourbelly
Main presenter: Julie Tupler, RN
2:00pm – 5:00pm EveryBelly
® Seminar with Julie Tupler, RN

Julie Tupler, RN will lead a three-hour EveryBelly® Seminar using the Tupler Technique®.You can register online at http://tuplertechnique.eventbrite.com with code “Check” to save $15. Everyone registered can bring a friend for free.

About the Tupler Technique®
A protruding belly in women, men, and children may be a sign of diastasis, a condition where the outer abdominal muscles separate. The Tupler Technique ®
 created by Julie Tupler, RN, is the only evidence- and research-based exercise program available for EveryBelly® and can heal
diastasis for any belly. For more information about the
Tupler Technique®, its products and programs, please visit the website at www.diastasisrehab.com.
PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON!!!!

December 1, 2011

Just when you think you have seen it all! A Miraculous 9 inches in 8 weeks – All from closing the diastasis recti through the Tupler Technique

Are you pregnant ?  When are you expecting?  These are all VERY ANNOYING questions that a women gets when she has a diastasis recti.  Can anything be more reprehensible or a bigger blow to one’s self esteem?  With that…

Client TM experienced those same questions just 8 weeks ago…

CLIENT TM





DIASTASIS

waist

upper

middle

lower

Week 1

33 1/2

3

4

4

Week 4

 1.75

2

1.25

Week 6

251/2

1.75

2.5

2.25

Weel 8

 24 1/2

.75

2

.25

This client BLEW ME AWAY with her results.All I can say is “WOW!”This client has 2 young kids and is in her early 30s.Her husband is a dentist who now tells his patients about me and the Tupler Technique.Client TM was of small build – about 5’2 and had a 33 ½ inch waist.She has not stuck with any other exercise program – this one would be a first for her.She had shoulder issues when she first began –holding SO much tension in the shoulders to compensate for her weak transverse muscle.She splinted ALL THE TIME (morning and night) and by the end had IMPECCABLE technique.EVERYONE NOTICED ! By the 6th week I noticed something dramatic – as we proceeded with the workout I commented, “You look SO SKINNY!”IT was such a huge change.And no wonder – by week 6 she had already lost EIGHT INCHES in her waist!AND SHE WASN’T DONE CLOSING HER Diastasis Recti!

By week 8, not only did she almost close her diastasis, SHE LOST NINE INCHES to be an itty bitty 24 ½ inch IDEAL SIZE waist !

November 30, 2011

Upcoming Tupler Technique Worldwide press conference!!

So many people ask me – why doesn’t EVERYONE know about the Tupler Technique? Why doesn’t my doctor know? Why didn’t my midwife tell me? Why doesn’t my physical therapist know about it? Why doesn’t my personal trainer know about it?

 
 
For the first time in its existance, there will be a WORLDWIDE press conference about the Tupler Technique -for EVERYONE to educate them on their diastasis – what it IS, what to DO about it, and How to attend a (free!) “Belly Check” event.
With the New Year right around the corner, I’m part of a global belly check campaign to get everyone to check their belly before they start their new work out regimen. Learn why some workouts make the belly worse and possibly bigger.
What:

Global Public Service Announcement to ask everyone to check their bellies for a diastasis (a separation of the outermost abdominal muscles) before starting any new workout regimen. Informational materials will be made available.


 When:
Monday, December 5 at 12 noon CST

Where:

Live webcast from New York City.

To participate in person, contact julie@kaimenco.com or (888) 989-8808 x703
To participate via web – visit www.ustream.tv/channel/checkyourbelly

Who:

This public service announcement is produced by Tupler Inc.

This is VERY exciting!  I will be following up with this press conference by holding THREE BELLY CHECKS at various locations in the Chicagoland area in the beginning and mid January.  They are FREE for anyone to come and see if they have a diastasis.

 The first location will be at Cornish Chiropractic on Jan 14th from 9 to 11:30 AM in Yorkville, IL.

 The other locations will be posted following a few i’s dotted and t’s crossed!

  

Tell everyone you know about it – so they can do something about it!  Tell you OB, your midwife, your PT, your family, your sisters, your friends – if you have received benefit by (FINALLY) figuring out you had a diastasis, and have seen the benefit of the Tupler Technique –
SPREAD THE WORD!!

October 25, 2011

NEW! BEFORE and AFTER Diastasis Recti Pictures and results with Tupler Technique


So I have seen some pretty ROCKIN results lately!  Just when you think you have seen it all, people blow all the prior results out of the water!  And pictures to boot!

BEFORE: 
AFTER:  DAY 8
AFTER: DAY 8
BEFORE:  

CLIENT MJ

DIASTASIS
waist
upper
middle
lower
Week 1
 27
 3
4
5
Week 2
1.5
2.25
3.5
Week 4
1
1.5
2.25
Week 6
24 3/8
—-
1.5
2 VS
This client has 2 young kids and in her early 40s. She is a VERY regular gym-goer who started out with a size 27 inch waist.  The catch was, people would still ask if she was pregnant because of her shape.  I am posting her before and after pics of just ONE WEEK – but I will edit them when she gives me her latest.  She is now a 24 3/8 inch waist.  Who would EVER think they could break into the 24 inch waistline realm.  SUPER MODELS go for the 24 inch waist!! She has also NEARLY closed her diastasis.  She is a 2 VERY SHALLOW 3 inches below her belly button – her connective tissue is nearly healed.  She did her 10 sets of 100 Seated Tupler Contractions each day and wore her splint religiously. So congrats MJ on your progress!
Client KM
DIASTASIS
waist
upper
middle
lower
Week 1
 43.5
 3
3
4
Week 4
 37.85
.5
2.5
.5
Week 6
36.3
—-
.75
—–
This client is a mom in her upper 40s.  Her three children are grown.  There is NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS!!  I was amazed at KM’s progress!  She will be sending me her pictures which I will put in place.  KM has an umbilical hernia, and has had a stubborn midsection for a long time and finally felt it was time to “do something for herself” and take care of it finally.  She came down SEVEN INCHES within 6 weeks.  She wore her splint religiously, had GREAT technique and did 6 to 10 sets of 100 Seated Tuplers each day.  Her diastasis is CLOSED!!!  She is on fire to let other women know about this!  SPREAD THE WORD PEOPLE!

September 30, 2011

Postpartum Hair Loss Blues – who would have thought the answer …Nori and other seaweed?!?!

So the wonderful 3 1/2 month postpartum hair loss hit – so fun…NOT!  I had forgotten what it was like to comb my hair and have handfuls coming out with the hairbrush.

All day long I  search for the elusive tickle on my arm – which I absolutely hated.  It was a never-ending arm tickle since the hair kept freely coming out of my head.  I was very sad with each strand – like I was being deserted.  It was close to the same feeling I had when I killed several of our new fruit trees this year…but worse.

I had been told, of all things, SEA WEED, is great to EAT to help with this.  Even though I had NORI – roasted seaweed which is used to cover sushi rolls and california rolls – in my cupboard, I kept forgetting to use it.

Finally, one day in desperation from my 1 1/2 months of hair loss, I cut up the NORI into little strips and put it into my soup.  It shrinks down very quickly – just a slightly different taste to my soup.  I did that for a couple of days and WHALAH! Only one or two strands came out of my head, versus 50 or 60.  From literally one day to the next.  With my prior 3 babes – the hairloss continued for several months or longer.  I am still nursing so I know the hormones are still super low (which can contribute to postpartum hair loss).

There are so many benefits to seaweed – I had no idea.  They have Omega 3s (good for brain and- postpartum depression) a ton of Calcium, Vitamin C, Iodine, and many things a women’s body needs postpartum. It can even aid weight loss, and it contributes to healthy skin – and I know I always have MANY questions on skin health for the belly. Here are several links to how Seaweed helps with postpartum hairloss and hair loss in general
This one talks of Nori helping hair growth  and
This link talks of a girl caring around Nori squares with her, which helped her hair growth and
This link has several scientific references and for Nori helping with hair growth and other benefits and
This link has 29 benefits of sea vegetables- including weight loss, hair growth, erases cellulite, and is great for skin

So – my great find this week ?  At Trader Joes they have Roasted Seaweed Snack Packs, which according to my store, they are new – and if you click on this link HERE it tells their story of them.  There are two flavors – regular and wasabi.  I mistakenly got mostly Wasabi and HELLLOOOO – can we say NASAL PASSAGE CLEARING – wow!  But if you are into food with a kick – its a good one. The regular ones are kind of like salty flaky chips. At first it feels a little weird to be snacking on seaweed – it feels so …unAmerican or something…but they grown on you.  The REAL BEAUTY is they are only $.99 – thats it!  Super cheap.  I grabbed 7 packages or so.  If you don’t live by Trader Joes, you can get them Amazon or MAKE YOUR OWN.

My kids were very intrigued.  I woke up a couple mornings ago to something I never thought would come out of ANY 6 year old boy’s mouth, let alone mine. “Mommy, can I have some seaweed?” Can we say TWILIGHT ZONE? Am I still dreaming?

But I am forever glad I was told me about Nori helping with postpartum hair loss (Thanks Tami!)- so I felt I had to pass it on.  It certainly nipped it in the bud for me after cute baby #4 – within 24 to 48 hours.  And if something so cheap and accessible can help and I can keep as much hair on my head as possible (and make it grow back lush and healthy looking)- I am keeping my cupboards amply stocked!