Bellydance Factoid: How Do I Shoulder Shimmy?

Shoulder Shimmy

There is a difference between a breast shimmy and a shoulder shimmy although they look rather similar. The main difference is that the shoulder shimmy is executed by pushing one shoulder forward while pulling the other shoulder back. In class, we also call it "punching". Punch the right shoulder, then punch the left shoulder. Alternate your "shoulder punching". There is no way to keep the "girls" from coming along for the ride, since they are connected to the upper part of your body. However, you don't want to lead with your chest.

****Note, highly recommend you start out practicing with a supportive bra on when you do this move. The first time we did it without a supportive bra, our "girls" were moving a lot!!! (laughing)

Bellydance Moves: How To Camel Roll

We have covered a lot and there is still more to come. In the meantime, here is a breakdown on the "Camel Roll".

Camel Roll
To do a camel roll you should start with the rib cage and the tuck and release of the pelvis. Let's start with the rib cage by pushing the ribs forward, up, back and center. Then round it out till it's smooth (This is what your torso will be doing also). Next we'll work on the pelvis. Start with your feet parallel and facing forward with your knees slightly bent. Now tuck the tail bone under causing your hips to go forward. Now, release it back to center and the push it slightly back and then back to center. Keep your spine supple.

Now let's combine the moves.

Think of your body being divided into sections, your top is section one, the middle is section 2, and the pelvis is section 3. Think of an imaginary wall in front of you. Not one section of your body can touch the wall at the same time. Sooo, if section "one" is touching the wall, then section two and three are not. If section "two" (your stomach/midsection) is touching the wall, section one and three are not. With this in mind, push the ribs forward and the pelvis back. Next, push the ribs up and the pelvis goes back to center. As you execute this movement, section "one" is touching the imaginary wall and section two and three are not. Then, pull the ribs back a bit more as you tuck the tail bone under you. Keep your spine supple and flexible. At this point your section "two" should be touching the imaginary wall, section one and three are not touching. Your spine should be pretty concave at this point as you move into pulling your ribs back and your pelvis toward the center. Finally your hips (section "three") should move forward as your ribs and hips return to the center. Attempt this move again, but try to smooth it out.

Also, try it with one foot in front of the other or on the balls of your feet (helpful for walking). Make sure your roll down the spine though every vertebrae.

Benefit and "Why You Should Care Factor": Works all of the muscles in your torso for a slimmer physique. Also works your stomach because you are executing a "mini-ab-crunch" for your upper abs (reduce and tones upper belly size). This also increases the strength in your back over time because we commonly don't work our backs because we are sitting all day (less back arches and injury).

Your Doctor May Want To Tell You The Truth - But Can't

An arresting and jarring title - I know....

For years, members of the natural health and holistic community and believers in following a more natural path have always known that you should work WITH your doctor towards better health - not just blindly follow your doctor without question. What does this mean? It means, your doctor may want to suggest something MORE to help you - but can't. So it's up to you, and us, as consumers to take control of our health and research the prognosis given. Don't assume that pain, fatigue, or lack of focus is normal.

Recently, an article featured in The New York Times called "When Doctors and Nurses Can’t Do the Right Thing" shed light on the dilemma that doctors and their medical staff faces. Some doctors and their staff WANT to give a more aggressive treatment for various patient medical conditions, but between the threat of medical establishment and the lawyers - the stakes are simply to high. For those doctors that are aware of "something being wrong" - they are among the group suffering from "Medical and Moral Distress."

Why can't doctors and nurses just TELL you what you need? Because they risk loosing their jobs, being sued, or having their medical license revoked. One doctor reported on this incident in an article titled "An Important Letter About Trust". After recommending a common and effective alternative approach to a patient's condition, the doctor was immediately summoned in front of the American Medical Association for a full investigation with the potential of loosing his medical license! In this situation, the doctor "got off with a warning" with the condition to NEVER mention natural approaches to treat patients again.

But the tide is turning, as more cases of people using alternative therapy yields results, members of the conservative school of thought in the medical community and the legal community are beginning to notice and hopefully pave the way for the public to become aware of ways to take charge of their health without quickly and resorting to prescription drugs. In the future, maybe doctors and nurses like these featured in these articles will be able to tell their patients the truth - without fear of consequences....

Featured Articles:

An Important Letter About Trust

When Doctors and Nurses Can’t Do the Right Thing

Belly Roll and Childbirth

As promised to last week's Wednesday night class, I've located several articles that cite the benefit of using the "Bellyroll" to aide in the birthing process.

These are the following sites:

Bellydance Your Way Through Pregnancy

Discussion Board Post #21 By "Belly dancer" on 1-29-08 at 2:04 am

Belly Dancing and Childbirth by the bellydancer Morocco

Essentially, the sentiment was the same. If you start learn the bellyroll early on, your birth will be an easier one because of your ability to isolate the muscles in that area. Another benefit includes providing the reproductive organs with more oxygen resulting in improved health. So ladies - let's roll!!!

Cancer, Sickness, and Body pH

In last week's class on Thursday January, 22nd, I talked about how the disease cancer has been linked to consuming foods that are acidic. Plenty of clinical studies and books have been released over the years speaking to this point, but I would like to share a few source articles here.

What is pH and Why Is It Important?
The body keeps everything in a certain balance to ensure optimal health. It really is a marvelous masterpiece! One of the most crucial things the human body uses to keep "the balance" is through your body's pH. Your body's pH can range from acidic to alkaline or neutral. Overall, your body strives to keep your pH at a mildly alkaline level (7.3 pH) for optimal health. Keeping it at this state increases the oxygen levels that are absorbed into the body, reduces fatigue, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and prevents illness.

Cancer and an Alkaline Body
According to "The Magic Bullet? The Calcium Factor" this article is one of many articles that elaborates on how calcium (an alkalizing agent of the body) plays a major role in preventing cancer growth. The article even mentions how the excessive consumption of red meat (page 5 of link) lessens the absorption of calcium which can contribute to cancer. The article cites an example of "The Hopi of Arizona are also virtually cancer free, perhaps partly because of sunlight exposure, and partly because of related alkaline minerals in their water, rubidium and potassium. Rubidium and potassium are highly alkaline minerals that are caustically active, helping a cell’s pH to rise to a very alkaline 8.5, a pH observed to kill cancer cells, either because of the abundance of oxygen or the change in pH that accompanies it."

Recommended Eating
Foods that promote a more alkaline blood pH and minerals that help alkalize the body are best. The body's design is so unique, that even if we don't consume the proper nutrients, it will pull alkalizing minerals (calcium, potassium, and magnesium) from the bones. But, over time, this predisposes your body to brittle bones and Osteoporosis. Although this is not an exhaustive list, this is a good start:
-Beets
-Broccoli
-Green Tea
-White Tea
-Raspberries
-Purple Grapes
-Curry and Tumeric
-Green Juices & Wheat Grass Juice


For more information, feel free to read the following articles:
Understanding the pH Balance and the ACID Cycle
List of Acid Vs Alkaline Food
Case Study: How Someone Used Alkaline Foods To Affect Cancer


Did this article help you better understand how your body works? Feel free to comment below!

Instant Bellydancer Pre Valentine Party February 7th

We are proud to present the "Instant Bellydancer Series" for those that would love to make it to a class but their schedule doesn't mesh with the classes offered for 6 weeks.

Using our "Two in Twenty" technique, we'll show you how to bellydance, talk about nutrition and how to help you with your goals
Fight fatigue
Loose weight
Tone your body
Keep youthful skin

And we will wrap it up with a great performance to show you how everything looks "live". There will be food, and exotic teas, and lots of fun!

For more details. CLICK HERE

The first 10 people that register will also get a free gift!

A Portion Control Story

O.K. I admit I have a problem with this darn "portion control" thing.

I open my e-mail to review at least one of 20 health, science, tea, and news articles that I read per day and find the annoying little (but helpful) article "portion control" from HeartHealthyOnline.com.

According to this article, one of the suggested ways to loose 5 pounds is through watching the size of what we eat. At first I think "big newsflash there", but wait! There is a helpful guide the breaks down how much we really SHOULD be eating. CLICK HERE

So, imagine - to my surprise - that the love of my food eating existence (cheese) shows that one serving is the equivalent of 3 stacked dominoes. OK, in the back of my mind, I kinda knew that my love of cheese went way over the 3 stacked dominoes (even if the dominoes were super sized) but seeing is believing. A picture really is worth a thousand words.

What to do now? Well, I'm not sure. For the sake of argument here, I'm thinking about reducing my portion sizes, but the thought of missing my beloved cheese is giving me the shakes.

So what about you? After seeing the truth of what we really should be eating (click the link if you dare), how many of you are considering reducing your portion sizes? Talk to me... :)