Abdominal Stretches

Is that all you do just stretch yourself out? Do you need to be lying on your back? I would LOVE an almost symptom free day!

Can anyone tell me where to find the information from Christine on Abdominal Stretches?

Thank you! Bridi

Hi Judy

I am doing another term of bellydancing this term, starting in a couple of weeks. I am aware of this dilemma you point out, and I will just see how I go. I am never going to be a performer so if my belly doesn't shake and shimmy enough, it's just too bad. I think I do have one advantage though, plenty of belly! And I defy anyone who reckons they can stop it shimmying and shaking. I am just looking forward to this movement that I really enjoy. Will keep you posted.

Cheers

Louise

Anybody versed in exercise, your comments on this please.

Judy, is this anything like the stretching exercise you were talking about?

Stand in posture, feet a natural distance apart, elbows bent, hands fisted and pointing straight up, arms pulled back as far as comfortable.

Grip fist tightly and slowly push arms straight into the air against force, like you’re lifting something. I wish I had the correct term to explain this better. Open hands, slowly relax arms back down and repeat.

When I do this exercise, I feel a strong lifting as far down as an inch or so above my pubic bone with the major lift being from my hip bones up the sides of my body. With an additional leg component, I can feel it down to my urethra. I’ll add that later if there is any interest and nothing damaging is pointed out.

I have been doing these kinds of exercises for the last couple of weeks, in addition to my other exercise. It feels like my pelvic area is more solid and connected as a result. I have less twinges and pain, and more sureness and stability in my daily walks.

Whoever gave me this idea, I thank you. I'm sure I read it somewhere. Is this in your book, Christine? It's been a while since I read it.

Please offer me your thoughts concerning this. Thanks, Kit

I'm still trying to figure this one out, Kit :)

I must be doing it wrong, I tried it and felt like I had to bear down and flatten the curve of my spine. so that's obviously not a good thing.
will keep trying to figure it out

For sure I'm not explaining myself well. It would be easier to show than tell. Granola, I feel no downward pressure at all and my spine does not move in the slightest. Actually, it is much the opposite. My hips and legs are stable which support my spine. My pelvis is supported by posture. It feels really good and strengthening as I do it.

I practiced naked (sorry TMI) in front of a full length mirror so that I could see my posture and the subtle movements of the action. I am taking great care.

Thanks for trying but don't hurt yourselves, please. I won't post more about this till I can find a way to make it understandable. I am going to proceed because it feels so right to me.

Christine, please remove the post if you think someone could harm themselves. I always worry about the new mommies over-doing. I believe in erring on the side of safety so you would not offend me in the slightest by removing it.

Thanks again both of you. You were kind to reply. Kit

I feel my best when I hold myself tall... and I've been feeling taller and taller all the time. Literally , I am already a tall woman at 5"10" , and think I suffered
a bit of that tall girl ducking syndrome. And in the past year or two it's beena balling up with fear. What is blowing my mind is how emotional and psychic
our posture is. I am discovering the role emotions play on the maps of our bodies.. Well mine, anyway.

And I'll be honest I am having largely pre-prolapse comfort, by holding posture and no longer doing all those physical things in such an ignorant way. I am
still moving things but so creatively, without so much ego attached, I now can go ask for help or shift gears. All these lessons from prolapse. I still have little
episodes. I HAD to help my husband take apart a billiards table. 3## Monster slabs O'Slate were in there. Holy Mother of God !!!, if I hadn't helped my H would
have busted his back. I hunkered down in the posture, told my legs to take the load. I had some peeking for a day or so but came quickly back to this baseline that's
improving all the time.

Christine's recent query has had me posting in my head for days now. I love the backside nature of the question. It's forced me to really question how much ambition
and responsibility we want to take in making the changes necessary to improve our prolapse. Some of us need to make some bigger changes than others, and my
Heart goes out to all the women that need to make radical changes in the way they eat, and lose weight. We - whether making healthy or unhealthy choices, take great
comfort in our relationship with food so altering it can be so stressful. I guess I am reaping the benefits of my last major illness ( Mono while pregnant turned systemic Candida )
I was forced to completely clean it up or those little yeastiebeasties would flourish. I've been thinking about the backside of so many things these days.

Sorry I really haven't had much extra time lately. I've taken in a lovely old Bitch. She's a 7 yr. old German Shepherd, the owners of the billiards table were going to put her to sleep.
It was a wham!!corporate move, and they didn't love her enough to find another way. Well H and I looked at each other and you know the rest. We are telling ourselves that
this is fostering until we can find her a home. And now all of you reading say "Good Luck With THAT !" out loud please. I'm going to need strength to not have a heartache with
this one. I really can't add her financially sad to say, she has bad eyes and some dysplasia and would eat f$$d but she's just such a neat dog. So worth saving, I wonder if anyone else
will think so, and what if they don't ?
Hugs girls,
Zelda

Glad to hear you are doing so well.
You are a very tender hearted lady to take in the dog.
My heart goes out to all the animals who are abandonded because of their health
or some other feeble excuse.
Is there a pet rescue group near you? I know the group I got my cats from take in
any cat regardless of their health. They have them vet checked and if they need treatment
have it done before they are put into the general population at the shelter. If the animal is not adopted it stays with them for the rest of their lives. They are all spayed or neutered before they are adopted out.
The vets in town donate a lot of their time helping the group. The people in the group are all volunteers.
If there is such an organization near you they might take the dog and have her fixed up and find someone to adopt her.
Good luck.
regards
Flora

Hey Zelda

This post of yours sounds really good. It is lovely to read this stuff coming from you. It is not always a bad thing to take a break from things like this Forum. It sounds like you've just got on with things a bit and opened your heart to this dear doggy. Nothing like a bit of love to get us out of a rut (if that's what it was).

This backside thing is interesting, isn't it It is almost as if prolapse has features of a condition of unbalance/out of sorts/ not quite rightness. It is almost like a syndrome that goes along with worry, fear, stress, bad eating, lack of harmony, mental unhealth, sick heart and the like.

Hopefully you might be able to link into an animal rescue group as Flora suggested, or she may stick around to keep you from disappearing into your own bad space.

Hope you continue well.

Cheers

Louise