I am excited to write that I just completed the first ever Fascial Manipulation (FM) course to be taught in North America. I was fortunate to be one of fifty individuals to learn this exciting technique developed by Italian doctor and researcher named, Luigi Stecco.  Stecco's technique was brought over and taught by his son, Antonio Stecco, M.D., and Dr. Warren Hammer, D.C. - long thought of as one of the pioneers of soft tissue treatment and management.

I am already finding the technique and the associated "vector points" to be another piece of the puzzle - another tool to use to get the best treatment outcome possible. Several patients and I have gotten terrific results combining FM with other techniques I use, including Active Release Technique, Muscle Activation Technique, and low-level laser therapy.

Stecco contends, along with other renowned gross anatomists and researchers that the most important part missing in the term musculoskeletal system is the connective tissue. More and more research is proving the most essential portion of the muscle is the fascia. As evidenced by both dissection and ultrasonography, many muscle fibers insert into intermuscular and epimysial fascia without being attached directly to bone.

What does this mean? Besides serving as an attachment for muscles, fascia allows for sliding and gliding of muscles and tendons against each other and other structures, and also plays a role in proprioception. Without the sliding gliding, friction exists. With friction comes inefficient movement, and with inefficient movement comes compensation and subsequent wear, tear, inflammation, and pain.

The connective tissue and the muscle tissue function as one and help to keep joints together in every position of the joint. Stecco states that if the fascia is too rigid, it may alter the stretch of the muscle spindle and adversely affect its (the muscle) normal firing. "Densified fascia could alter afferent (incoming) signals, resulting in muscle incoordination along the myokinetic chain and cause abnormal biomechanics, eventual abnormal muscle compensation and pain."

I am excited to explore the potential of integrating the FM technique into my overall treatment approach. My goals include providing the best means to accelerate healing and enhancing performance. I have already experienced fantastic results with a number of pain (dysfunction) syndromes using the Fascial Manipulation methods.

Looking for a healthy snack? Everyone who lives a healthy lifestyle can gain by taking on the benefits of nuts. Eaten in small-to-moderate amounts (nuts are calorie-dense; eat no more than 12-20 nuts at a time), nuts are tasty and delicious, and are some of the most nutritious foods you can consume. It could be argued that they should be an essential part of one's diet.

Nuts are absolutely packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals. They are versatile so they can be eaten raw, roasted, or added to recipes to enhance other foods and flavor in a number of ways. They are easy to pack and carry, and when stored correctly, they have a long shelf life.

All nuts contain fats, protein, and carbohydrates, but not all nuts are created equal. Of course, it goes without saying, that covering them in salt, honey, or other toppings turns this otherwise nutritious snack into a blood pressure-raising, artery-clogging nasty morsel.

Here are five nuts that pack a lot of punch:
1. Almonds - Great source of magnesium and vitamin E. Proven to lower cholesterol.
2. Walnuts - Source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and possess anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Brazil Nuts - High in calcium for bones as well as zinc. Also good for the digestive system.
4. Pecans - Contain over 19 vitamins and minerals. Good for maintaining low blood pressure.
5. Macadamias - High in protein. Also a good source of potassium and contain all of the essential amino acids.

There is 400% more vitamin E in grass-fed beef compared to grain-fed beef. There are 10 times the amount of omega-3 fats in the eggs from free-range hens as compared with factory-farmed hens. Organic crops contain significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as lower amounts of heavy metals, when compared with conventional produce.

Fact is, for the most part, food raised today is not as nutritious as it once was. Despite increased farming efficiencies and technological improvements, our food is getting weaker.Who ultimately pays for this? We do. Even with our best efforts to eat fresh, healthy foods including plenty of vegetables, heart-healthy fats, and lean proteins, we still are not getting as good as we could get. There are some things we can do, however, to make the best of the present-day situation.

Commercially raised cattle now live on a diet consisting mostly of corn, wheat, and soy products. Like it or not, these farm products have found their way into our food in several insidious ways. Vegetarians don't fool yourselves into thinking it only affects the meat some people eat either. From all of the packaged and processed items lining the shelves of our grocery stores to the commercial meats, corn, wheat, and soy are on the ingredient lists if you know where to look.

Our diets are heavily weighted with grains, grain-based food products (foods laced with high-fructose corn syrup and other grain-based additives) and grain-fed meat and fish. By some estimates, one-third of the products found in the average grocery store contain corn, wheat, or soy or their derivative in them.

Most farmers, in an effort to cut costs and fatten cattle up more quickly, feed their cows a diet of cheap corn and grain by-products as opposed to grass. Where we pay is that grain-fed cattle contains lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, less cancer-fighting and fat-burning CLA, fewer vitamins and minerals and more calories. The greater the intramuscular fat content of grain-fed beef provides a more recognizable taste to most consumers. Perceived good taste and recognizable flavor, however, are not the best gauges of healthy eating.

Need more evidence that our food is getting weaker? Almost across the board, produce from 50 years ago were nutritionally superior to our modern-day counterparts. Crop selection seems to be the main cause of the missing vitamins and minerals. For example, the 1950's version of broccoli had 170% more calcium and 130% more vitamin A than the current crop. 

You may be feeling a bit helpless after reading what is being done to our food supply. By the way, most of this is the way it is because of the food manufacturers and their profitable gains from cutting corners. Well, don't feel helpless.  

Some practical steps you can take to help you get the most bang from your broccoli and other produce include seeking diversity. Eating with variety means you get vitamins and minerals from several different vegetables and fruits which means you will not suffer if the current crop of carrots, for example, is low in beta-carotene or the current blueberries are low in vitamin C.   

Another strategy is to eat locally. Vitamins can perish depending on how produce is handled. As a rule, the fewer miles your vegetables travel, the more vitamin-rich they will be. Eating organic is another way to go. Some research shows that organic crops contain significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as lower amounts of heavy metals, when compared to conventional produce.

Lastly, consider your cooking methods. Choose to use cooking methods that do not reduce the nutrient content of your vegetables. For example, both vitamins and minerals can be lost if vegetables are boiled and then the cooking water is discarded. Are you using a microwave? Personally, I will not go near one. One study showed that steamed broccoli retained nearly all of its cancer-fighting flavonoids compared with its raw state. Microwaved broccoli, however, lost 97% of its flavonoids and boiled broccoli lost 66%.