Matters of Movement

Cindy is the owner/creator of My Fit Over 50, a website dedicated to the health of women going into menopause and beyond. After enjoying a great professional dance career (working all over the world including Stratford Festival), Cindy reinvented herself becoming a certified Pilates instructor, acupuncturist and holistic nutritionist. Now she uses her over 10 years of clinical experience and passion to help other women embrace the changes that happen as we age offering up an opportunity to become our best self. She believes that it’s important to keep challenging the body safely and efficiently and lives by that rule by getting her black belt in Kung Fu at the age of 50. Cindy also has a busy acupuncture and Pilates business in Toronto.

The Importance of Self-Care

During the podcast, Cindy speaks passionately about the importance of self-care and being the best advocate for your health. She empowers women to ask questions and have conversations about the changes that happen to their body going into peri-menopause and beyond it. She wants women to know that there are ways to help support the body as their hormones fluctuate, and often this can help make those uncomfortable symptoms of menopause easier to manage. Menopause is natural and should be the next part of a life well lived.

What is peri-menopause?

Cindy explains that you can actually be peri-menopausal for about 10 years. During this time your progesterone and estrogen are not in balance anymore. That brings on certain physiological symptoms like: night sweats, the inability to get a good night's sleep, and of course your period changes.

It's a time to be reflective on the fact that things are shifting and changing, and that you need to be a little mindful about what that next part of the journey will look like.

Self-education is a good tool!

It is important to have conversations about how you are going to support yourself now that your estrogen is starting to drop, because estrogen is the fuel and the goodness that helps support your brain and your bones?

When you stop producing estrogen, it is going to affect your bones. So what you may want to do is talk to your doctor about hormones that are going to help supplement the estrogen loss.

What can we do to support our health going into menopause?

Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things when approach peri-menopause into menopause.

Your bones become your bank account, so if you deposit into your bank account before you are 20 years old, you are going to be able to withdraw from that bank account and be okay, but if you don't deposit into your bank account, then you are going to be in some trouble.

We need to be more mindful now about how we move, how we approach fitness and exercise when we are in that peri-menopausal and menopausal state because depleting ourselves is not a good idea.

Be mindful, mindful of your eating, mindful of your sleep, and mindful of your exercise. Cindy explains that those are the three key things to focus on.

They call it the Second Spring

It is a woman’s second puberty, and it can be a really exciting time. It is good to have that guidance to just let you know that it's okay. When you have those maybe not so good days that it's okay. When you just can't kill it on your workout today, it’s okay; at least you got that workout in. Right! That's good.

It is just about having that little bit of education around, what your body needs now that it's changing and shifting?

Contact Cindy

https://myfitover50.ca/

Eva is a person who lives her passion with her husband, their Icelandic horses, their three dogs and one cat in a small village in the North of Netherlands. As a physiotherapist and instructor she has always been looking for some way to put feeling (during riding) into words, and to also to educate people about how their bodies work.

Through the training of the Franklin Method Equestrian she has received new, very applicable insights and information. In recent years she has done various courses on sports psychology, which provides a nice total package to guide riders and horses.

Physiotherapist for both Horses and Humans

Eva explains that is about looking at both the biomechanics of the horse and the rider to see if the goal of the rider is fair for the horse as well, because when you look at the biomechanics of some horses, like in Belgium, they've got really massive horses and they won't be show jumpers. You have to also talk to the rider, help them understand the architecture of their horse and the horse’s capabilities.

The Franklin Method

With practice of the Franklin Method, equestrians become more aware of not only their own movement, but also the movement of their horse. Consequently, the connection between horse and rider becomes more clear and precise.

For Eva, Eric Franklin has taught her how to use her body, and what she really likes is the way he also uses metaphors and imagery. It has become the way that she works with riders.

The Art of Letting Go

Christine and Eva get into more detail about the relationship between the rider and the horse. Eva shares that the pelvis is probably the biggest factor when it comes to that relationship.

The pelvis is the main body part where we communicate because we sit on it, and the pelvic floor is such a big muscle. Eva readily speaks to her riders about the Art of Letting Go.

“I think we are hanging on to quite a lot of things, both physically and mentally. I have moments that I'm hanging onto things, or and clinging on to things and I want to grab it and I want to hold it. Then I thought, ``Well, what does it bring? '' I only can change it when I notice, and what I don't notice, I can't change.”

Establishing good Movement with your Horse

It is important to have a good mind-set around movement with the horses, as it can really impact the quality of movement with your horse.

Eva explains that being in the present is one of the most valuable, and needed skills while you're working with animals, especially when you're working with horses. They really mirror what we do, because it's also their nature.

“When my heartbeat is high, I need to use my mental capacity to lower my heartbeat. I need to first notice that my heartbeat is high, and then I need to train myself what kind of tricks I have, or what kind of capacity I have to lower my heartbeat down. The check in is really, really important.”

Teaching People how to Check-in

When Eva works with her riders, she has them check in with themselves.

“I just asked them: what does it feel like? Where do you feel something? I actually try to do it every time we change a gait. So when we go from walk to trot, I often ask them as well. Do a check in to notice your body. Notice what feels good. Notice what doesn't feel as flexible as you would like to have it? Give me feedback when you notice something.”

Listeners can find Eva on Instagram.

Helen is originally from Perthshire in Scotland, and lives on the northwest coast of Tasmania. Helen has her nursery nursing qualification and as a qualified childcare educator Helen has spent many year looking after babies, toddlers and children. In 2010, she discovered the wonderful world of baby massage. She became an instructor and delights in helping parents enhance their confidence while forging a closer bond with their baby. Helen started hosting her First Time Mum's Chat podcast in January 2021, where she is able to connect with parents on a weekly basis.

Understanding the Power of Touch

There is a lot of research on baby massage, and how it helps with mothers who find it hard to touch your babies. Massage helps them learn how to communicate with their child, and it has also been researched that skin-to-skin with a baby is very important.

Helen shares that it's mainly about touching and respecting your baby and giving your baby that respect. It helps with a lot of different things including: colic, constipation, and sleep. Touch has many health benefits, as well as a lot of emotional benefits. It helps promote relaxation for the mom and for the baby, as well as encourages: development, communication and bonding.

The Timing of the Massage is Critical

Helen shares with Kristina and the listeners the concept of quiet alert state. The quiet alert state is when your baby is just beginning to wake up. They are just waking up and they're just getting active for the day. They are communicating with you and they're engaging with you. This is a great time to actually do massage, because they are very assertive at that time and they can tell you what they like and what they don't like. Another good time is before bed, because it helps with sleep, and you can engage by talking to them, which helps them to move as well.

Developing your Baby's Body Awareness and Coordination

When massaging, Helen explains that it is best to start with the baby's head, and to go all the way down to the toes. You are giving them that body awareness and allowing them to see how long they are. When you go from the spine out to their arms, this allows them to see how wide they are.

While you are massaging, you increase awareness by speaking to them, “I'm massaging your left leg at the moment, and I'm just going to touch your toes.”

Finding Different ways to Communicate with your Children

If you communicate with your child, and if they can't communicate, there are things that a parent can do. Drawing is a great way for them to express themselves; as they are drawing, you can say, “Well, why don't you draw what you're wanting to tell me?” You can also incorporate movement like jumping up and down and have them act out what they are trying to tell you.

With teenagers it is a little different; with them, sometimes you just got to let them know that you are there for them.  Be supportive of them and give them the respect to regulate and process their feelings.

Tummy Massages are Great for Everyone

Helen shares the amazing results you get, if you just gently sort of talk to your body and tell your body what's happening. You can do this while giving yourself a tummy massage. Massage works the same way in adults as they do in babies; massage in a clockwise direction, which is the way the bowel moves. When doing this you are releasing what is trapped there, and you are pushing all the waste out.

Parents that needs a little support on their parenting journey can visit Helen at her website My Baby Massage.

Contact Helen

Website

Free Resource

Kelsie Bentley is a self-care and mind-set coach helping people-pleasing women

reclaim their time. She got her start coaching women from behind the chair as a

hairstylist, and dove deep into the work of self-care after going through her own

experience with burnout. Her written work can be found on sites such as; Mama

Minimalist, The Hive, and Morning Laziness, and she has been featured on

several podcasts including: Healing Unscripted, We’re Not Kidding, and All

Things Relax.

Kelsey has flipped the script on self-care. There are a lot of rigid self-care

programs out there that have tried to prescribe to people how it should look.

Kelsie is not about that at all, instead she finds ways to help people fit it into their

schedules so that they are able to live successful, and purposeful lives.

A look at toxic positivity

Christina and Kelsie discuss the fact that many of us choose not to acknowledge

the problems, we try to positive mind-set our way through them. Mind-set is a

huge, huge thing, and it's definitely something we have to work on, but we also

have to be able to feel, experience and process our feelings.

It is about taking the time to just really dive into how you feel, feel those feelings

and try to work through them. This is so essential. You have to take that time and

really think, “Am I allowing myself to just wallow in something, or do I need to

experience this and move through it?”

How to Start Setting Healthy Boundaries

Kelsie shares that the best way to start setting boundaries is to identify if you are

the type of person who tends to be of service to others all the time. This can

happen when you own any kind of business; there is a certain element of being

of service to others. She explains the importance of separation; a time when you

can be yourself and who you are, and not have to constantly be of service.

The first step is recognizing those things that are wearing you out and that are

draining your energy. Then you have to figure out how to set the boundaries.

Kelsie suggests starting with those relationships, or situations that are not so

close to you. These relationships are not as emotionally charged, so it makes it

easier.

It's really important to be able to just recognize when you need that extra little bit

of care. We spend so much time taking care of everybody else's needs.

The Spark Method

You can start setting yourself up for success by doing fewer things, and finding

ways to make the things that you have to do easier. Time management is

prescriptive. Time management doesn't care about your energy levels, your

season of life, or your interests. You have to take a look at you, your struggles,

where you're at, and where you want to go.

Creating a space for yourself

It is important to understand that other people benefit from us caring for

ourselves. It is allowing yourself to unpack and take up space in your own life. It

is something that is incredibly important to learn. It can be challenging, because

it's a point of growth. We have to be able to allow ourselves to grow and go

through the discomfort. You will be pleased with the ease that will come from it.

CONTACT US

Christina: Online Studio

Janette Yee is a Perinatal Therapist with a background in Athletic Therapy and Massage Therapy.  She works with athletic birth parents that share her belief, “Confidence and strength in your body during pregnancy and after childbirth is a RIGHT, not a privilege.”

In response to suboptimal public perinatal healthcare, Janette created the Proactive Moms Method - a simple 13-exercise prenatal/postpartum program. Using this method, birth parents learn to stay active during pregnancy and return to pain-free sports after childbirth.

Janette is best known for her two ground-breaking online Caesarean recovery programs. In them, moms learn the essential skills of scar massage and exercise to optimize recovery. These courses focus on the psychology of healing, painful sex, preventing the "C-section shelf", and safe return to sport. One is designed for all moms, the other, for athletes.

Janette fills her days with mandatory playtime with her kids aged 3 and 6, while training for her return to competitive running. Her 15-year rugby career was recently recognized with a team induction into the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame.

The most Hard Core Athlete is a Mother

Janette shares with Christina the work that she does with rugby athletes, and some of the injuries that she has endured in her 15 years of playing rugby. She reflects on her experiences of major injuries and concludes that nothing compares to being humbled by childbirth, both physically and mentally. In Janette’s own words, “The hardest-core athlete is a mother, and the biggest injury is childbirth.”

Expectations of Postpartum Healing

Janette explains that most athletes push their bodies as hard as they can; that's what athleticism means. When you're pregnant, and certainly after a mother gives birth, that's just not possible. That can be a huge blow to an athlete’s identity, to their ego.

Janette explains that childbirth is a season-ending injury, and during this time off, you can make a plan; what do I need to do? There's that sense of empowerment, and it helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Mature Athlete versus an Immature Athlete

Janette uses the word immature, but not as a term of judgment. The mature athlete learns to trust their body because the brain is really stubborn. The immature athlete is going to do silly things, not trust their bodies.

It is wise to draw from your past experience of major sports injuries that you have gone through, in a certain respect, you will be wiser in making choices for your body.

Caesarean is a very Interesting sort of Injury

The surgery itself involves three main incisions, and many people don’t appreciate that because they only see the singular external incision, but it's three incisions.

Janette discusses scar tissue and the fact that it is a body's incredible super glue that holds all these incisions closed. Scar tissue is needed, especially for the first six weeks, so she instructs listeners not to bother it. The scar tissue is powerful, powerful glue that your body makes.

Now that you know, pay it Forward

Janette implores listeners to share information. Talk about it to anyone who will listen. You can make a difference every single day. That's how public health care is going to change. We all have a voice, and all of us can use it.  Sharing information can make a difference in somebody's quality of life. All of us have that power.

Contact Us:

Janette: Instagram | Website

Matters of Movement Studio

Renae Fieck is a mother of three, an occupational therapist, host of Rising Mom’s Podcast, and even with such a full plate, she still has time to help women optimize their time and energy by unlocking the power of their menstrual cycles.

With her method, women are better able to balance the demands of life, create more of an impact, and get bigger results without adding more stress or needing more time.

THE STIGMA & SHAME AROUND WOMEN'S CYCLES 

Christina and Renae discuss the history of stigma and shame associated with women’s menstrual cycles. Women make efforts to keep it a secret, and for many, it feels like a burden that they have to carry every month.

The idea was introduced of women finding balance by sinking up their lives with their cycle. A Woman’s Cycle impacts her Mood, Energy and Creativity

Women have two main hormones that are crucial to this cycle: estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is characterized by: higher energy, higher focus, and mental clarity. This usually occurs in the first half of the month.

Progesterone, which comes at the end of the month helps make space for a baby. What it does is tell the body to retreat, and to rest.

THE FOUR PHASES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Recharge Phase

In this phase, women are menstruating, and it is the time that they should be slowing down and recharging. This phase sets you up for your accelerate phase. 

Accelerate Phase

In this phase, women feel really good. It is characterized by tons of motivation, momentum. It is a great time to take on big projects.

Observation Peak Time

This is when a woman is most magnetic. They will glow, appear more radiant, and are more affective at communicating during this time. The body is saying, “I'm fertile, I'm ready to make a baby.”

Reflect Phase

The reflect phase is when a woman can be super creative. Statements like “Let’s clean house,” or “Let’s focus in,” characterize this phase, and then they enter the recharge phase.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOVEMENT AND THE CYCLE

At the beginning of the month, women are going to have a lot of that energy for more intense movements like running, and heavy weightlifting.

At the end of the month, when progesterone is more dominant, movements are mellow: walks or yoga or things that are low impact.

WOMEN WOMEN CAN EMBRACE THEIR CYCLES

Renae speaks about her dream of transforming the way corporate America is run. Her vision is that hopefully someday, massive female-run companies will allow women to take off three, or four days when they are cycling. Until then, she encourages women to learn their cycle, know their peaks and valleys, really become aware of how their bodies perform in the day. It can be drastically helpful, and subtle micro shifts align the body. It all starts with awareness.

TUNING INTO YOUR CYCLE

Renae explains how she has tuned into her rhythm, and how knowing her natural rhythm has created hormonal and chemical changes on a very deep body level. Even for women that are post-menopausal or, have had a hysterectomy, they can use the moon’s 28-day cycle. It is very similar to what women's menstrual cycles typically are. The moon can be used as an outward cue of where in the cycle you might be.

CONTACT US

Renea Fieck

Instagram

Matters of Movement Online Studio

Join Christina and her extraordinary guest Abha Sharma as they discuss her personal journey into the world of movement.

Abha is a Health and Wellness Coach for Professional Working Moms. Her passion is helping working moms glow up utilizing hormone health, and living a holistic lifestyle.

She is a Paediatrician, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the host of The Health Has No Finish Line Podcast. This weekly podcast dives into subjects concerning: body image, emotional eating, mind-set, and healthier living.

Learning what you are capable of

Before sharing her story, Abha empathetically speaks to parents, especially mothers about the struggle that comes with parenting, and how sometimes they neglect to see their own abilities and strengths. She reminds listeners that they are capable of doing great things, whether it is taking care of their health, or even making time for themselves.

Sharing when you're on the other side of the rainbow

Both of Abha’s parents emigrated from India, and she describes the pressure that comes with being a child with immigrant parents, where there s a need to work really hard, especially when it comes to your academics. Knowing that your parents or grandparents immigrated for better educational opportunities.

Her mother cooked a variety of foods, with some being very carb heavy, so when she was younger, Abha dealt with fluctuating weight issues. By the time she was nine or 10 she got teased, and this continued through most of her childhood and teen years. She also wore a back brace for scoliosis, which excerbated things.

“Okay, I can try this!” Steps towards Healing

As she got older, Abha began to take charge of her life in a definitive way.  She began to read health magazines, ripping recipes and workout tips from them that she could utilize in her day to day. She would go to Marshalls and find indoor workout VHS and DVD’s. It became fun for her, and she felt comfortable working out this way because she didn’t have to worry about anybody judging her. She was still triggered by what she had experienced on the playground when she was younger.

Even the small change can make a big difference

Abha was able to maintain her healthy in Detroit during her pediatric residency. Despite the long hours, Abha was able to balance her diet by making better food choices. Instead of Lean Cuisine with all the artificial preservatives, she traded those meals in for Trader Joe's bowl that had more whole ingredients and fewer preservatives.

What 10,000 steps will really get you!

Abha began to learn more about the benefits of walking and she learned that 10,000 steps was a marketing strategy that originated from Japan.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that at 4400 steps per day, women had significantly lower mortality rates compared to least active women. If they did more, their mortality rates continued to drop until they reached about 7500 steps, at which point the rates levelled out.

Changing the language around food

Abha and her husband have made considerable efforts to change the language around food in their home. She is careful about using the words “Good food, or bad food,” around her daughter. If she is making non-restrictive changes in what she eats, she will just do it, but not explain it, especially when her daughter is around. She demonstrates balance by eating what she wants in moderation.

CONTACT US

Abha Sharma Instagram

Matters of Movement Online Studio

Join Christina and Chernell as they talk about the ins and outs of massage therapy.

The common reason people end up at the massage therapist is chronic pain in back and neck especially when they sit for prolonged periods of time. The problems caused by this are disc herniations and compression of the nerves, which causes muscle imbalances, tightness. The body doesn’t get stimulated enough which can lead to weakness and pain. They discuss office culture and what companies can do to positively impact employee wellness. Massage therapists can help work on tight muscles, but also give homecare to help extend the practice beyond the table.

Movement and Massage

They are one in the same. Massage is movement of the tissues. The circulation, fluid, oxygen and nutrients get moved around also. When you get up to stand your muscles are contracting and fluids are moving through the body. For example, if you want to give your lungs a little mini massage, you can take a deep breath and expand your lungs and open up your chest.

Both active and sedentary people benefit from massage. More active people can use massage to help with tight muscles, increase flexibility and prevent injury. Sedentary people benefit by relieving aches and pains and improving circulation and swelling.

Types of Massage Therapy

There are many types of massage and include:  Swedish, aromatherapy that introduces oils and scents which is highly effective for anything going on mind body, shiatsu, which is more deeply pointed pressure on trigger points. Hot stone, Fascial Release, this is when you release the fascia and help break down scar tissue. Then there is Thai massage that involves more stretching.

What is an RMT?

Registered Massage Therapist is a person trained in massage and who is governed by a regulatory body. RMTs have standards, a scope of practice, and require a health history to determine contraindicates to treatment.

Massage and Emotions

Massage is an excellent way to release and move energy like grief and stress through the body.. We have to take into consideration, whether you will let it build up to the point where it starts to start conditions, pain and disease, or you find a way to release and let it out. There is a connection in your body to the emotions that you are experiencing. Emotions are like chemical reactions. Whether you are acutely aware of it or not, emotions will cause a reaction in your body. Stress, cortisol, your nervous system, and your hormones are all intertwined.

Massage and Mental Health

Mental health challenges can be obstacles to getting up to move. Massage can be a catalyst to moving. If you can't get up to move, or you don't know how to start or where to start, sometimes a massage, just getting the blood pumping and muscles moving is a great place to start. Massage can start the circulation, blood flow and will start to relax the nervous system, which is going to allow improved digestion and gut health.  There is research to show that when the muscles are contracting they function like their own endocrine system and they trigger the release of myokines which are like antidepressants.

The Importance of Touch

sdlIsolation is detrimental. Human beings are meant to live in community with one another working together. As adults, we forget that even as we age, we still need that physical touching connection, we need that to survive and thrive.

Contact Chernell

Instagram

Web

Contact Christina

Studio

Show notes to come

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