Hello altMD.com Enthusiasts!$0$0$0$0Hope this blog post finds you all in good health, mind, body and spirit!  I was blessed beyond measure to receive this lovely client testimonial the other day, and would like to share it with my readers.  Enjoy!$0$0$0$0$0"  I can't say enough good things about Deb Preachuk and the Egoscue Method of Therapy.  If you are struggling with pain and are at the end of your rope like I was, HAVE HOPE!  You can can will get better.  $0$0$0$0$0After years of struggling with pain from repetitive sports injuries and a car accident, I am feeling better than I have ever felt.  I am pain free and doing activities that Dr.'s told me I should never do.$0$0$0$0$0Deb is a wonderful Posture Alignment Specialist and I assure you she will take you through the process with ease.  Posture Alignment Therapy with Deb has transformed my body and gas given me the ability to live my life to the fullest PAIN FREE?"  ~ Anne W. $0$0 $0$0Call today to schedule a session for yourself to see what Egoscue Posture Alignment Therapy can do for you!  You can be Pain Free!$0$0$0$0$0Gratefully,$0$0$0$0$0Deb Preachuk$0

Hello altMD.com members, viewers and bloggers!

I hope that this new post finds you all in continued health and wellness in mind, body and spirit.

I'd like to share YogaMaendy's blog spot from September 22nd, 2009 in which I had the great privilege to be featured as an inspirational instructor within her circle of influence.  Please visit http://yogamaendy.blogspot.com/2009/09/meet-one-of-minnesotas-most.html

Hope you enjoy reading more from YogaMaendy.  Please visit her company www.YogaDirect.com for fantastic pricing on yoga, pilates and mind/body equipment.  I've had nothing but excellent experiences with the company!

Peace and health,

Deb P

Hello altMd.com members, bloggers and viewers!

I've been tremendously blessed with another client testimonial that I'd like to share with you all.  I can't say enough about the wonderful benefits of Posture Alignment Therapy in the Egoscue Method.  If  you've never experienced the profound results of doing corrective exercise, I encourage you to seek out an Egoscue Clinic or affiliate in your area and schedule yourself for a session.  Enjoy!

"I can't say enough good things about Deb and the Egoscue Method of Therapy.  If you are struggling with pain and are at the end of your rope like I was, HAVE HOPE, because you can and will get better. After years of struggling with pain from repetitive sports injuries and a car accident, I am feeling better than I have ever felt. I am pain free and doing activities that Dr.'s told me I should never do. Deb is a wonderful therapist and I assure you she will take you through the process with ease.  Therapy with Deb has transformed my body and has given me the ability to live my life to fullest PAIN FREE!" ~ Anne W.

Hello altMD readers!  Hope the world is well with you all.

I was absolutely thrilled to receive this Egoscue Posture Alignment Therapy client testimonial in my inbox this morning.  These are the moments I truly take a step back and give thanks for the gift of helping others.

Thought some of you might enjoy reading it too.  Here it is:

I discovered Egoscue through a friend in Los Angeles and, as I watched him heal his back through the realigning movements rather than accept major surgery, I decided I wanted the experience for myself.

 

I didn’t have anything ‘wrong’ with me, but I was convinced Egoscue offered me the opportunity to take care of myself in a most fundamental way. It was a preventive choice.

 

We moved to Saint Paul soon after I discovered Egoscue and I wondered if I would ever find someone as wonderful as the therapist I had witnessed. In Deb, I found someone even better.

 

I’m thrilled with her gentle, encouraging, practical guidance. She is stunning in her capacity to describe the moves and make them personal. She is beautifully intuitive, well-trained, and experienced. I am convinced I’ve found the very best facilitator in this healing, empowering therapy.

 

And, within days of my starting my routines, my husband noticed the difference, not only in my movements, but how relaxed I had become. He is now as crazy, happily enthused as I am about this process that allows us to feel flexible, comfortable, and re-connected to our bodies.

 

Deb has been our guide and cheerleader. Our time with her was as much fun as it was challenging. In fact, we loved our experience so much, we have asked her to continue working with us… even though we have recently relocated back to the west coast. And Deb, in her open, delightful way has agreed.

 

If I could give my friends, family, and children any gift in the world, I would give them some sessions with Deb. In her spirit, enthusiasm, and expertise, she would change their world.

~ J. M.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a posture alignment or restorative pilates session with me, please email or call at your convenience.

Peace and health,

Deb Preachuk
www.pilatesintegration.com
www.painfreeposturemn.com

 

 

Hello altMD readers.  Hope this blog finds you all healthy and well today, and enjoying life to it's fullest!

I received a message from Emory University this week sharing a new video detailing one woman’s struggle to overcome the effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.  The short clip is an inspirational account of how a stage four breast cancer patient found the strength to fight the illness and to open up her own pilates studio.  

The link is below:

This morning, I read a wonderful comment by blogger Craig Harper (Australia).  He posted a link from Time magazine on the topic of Benefits Seen in Postcancer Weight Lifting. 

I was so happy to read this article, and see the blog.  Here is my reply to Craig via Facebook.

Thank for sharing Craig. I teach post-rehabilitative breast cancer exercise, and couldn't agree more. A breast cancer survivor and those working with them need to understand the ramifications of lymph node removal, as well as have a thourough understanding of how the different cancer removal and reconstruction surgeries affect posture, mobility and activities of daily living. Although there are many precautions, it so so important to move and re-introduce exercise, range of motion, muscular strength and conditioning as soon as possible (or even better, maintain a light amount of stretching and strength while undergoing treatment). One of the most empowering thing a woman can do for herself while undergoing treatments and then recovering is to engage in a physical activity program. The benefits of better self-esteem, decreased fatigue, are just a few. I recently blogged about the benefits. To see this blog go to http://www.altmd.com/Specialists/Pilates-Integration-MindBodySpirit

To read the article in question please visit:  http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1915975,00.html?xid=rss-health

If you have any questions about post-rehabilitative breast caner exercise, or any other cancer and exercise related questions, please contact me Deb Preachuk at www.pilatesintegration.com at your convenience.

Thanks for reading!  Peace and health,

Deb Preachuk
www.pilatesintegration.com
www.painfreeposturemn.com

Recently a favorite online Pilates magazine I subscribe to posted a fantastic article on building successful client/instructor relationships.  I was so struck by the article that I posted a reply based on my own experience as a pilates student now instructor..

I'd like to share the article with you, and my reply.  Enjoy!

http://www.pilates-pro.com/pilates-pro/2009/8/6/5-ways-to-build-successful-clientinstructor-relationships.html?lastPage=true#comment5095674

Here is my reply to the article:

I couldn't agree more with this article Devra!

Well written. With the economy "souring" so to speak, I have not experienced any of this at my studio.

In fact, business continues to porsper and grow for me and I can directly attribute it to many of the pointers you succinctly pointed out in the article.

Pilates and all mind/body practice is built on a foundation of creating successful client/instructor relationships. When you invest time into your clients personal needs, their pilates practice increases in value in all areas of their lives (mind, body and spirit).

Taking time to know your clients, their needs, encouraging growth make it easy for clients to justify the cost of classes and private instruction because it is aiding in keeping the student healty and whole.

I think back to my first days as a pilates student prior to becoming an instructor. My first mat class was an absolute horror. I could not do anything right, and was verbally reminded of this repetition after repetition in front of a group of experienced students. I felt ridiculed, and almost ashamed to be honest, yet something kept me on my mat and moving as best as possible. The instructor was unable to help me stay positive, made me feel stupid for being unable to produce the finished product, and could not/did not show me how to modify or change the movement to help me be successful. Why did I stay?

Although I can never answer this question, I'm grateful. Something within me realized that pilates was life changing. I was able to tune out this negative instructor, his lack of care, and focus on myself and my progress. I never went back to this instructor, but my pilates journey began.

Even though it was a bad experience emotionally, I still came away with a sense of physical change and was able to acknowledge that there was something extrordinary about pilates. It made me investigage further, take more classes, work on my mind/body technique and eventually become an instructor.

What I learned from that terrible session was what not to do with a client. My bad experience has made be a better instructor, and very aware that the client/instructor relationship is first and foremost about the process of change and what I can do to facilitate growth and success for my client.

Thank you for posting such an encouraging article and for the opportunity to post a reply.

Peace and health,
Deb Preachuk
www.pilatesintegration.com

Very cool!  Check out this bog spot from YogaMaendy at YogaDirect.com in celebration of Pilates Day 2009

http://yogamaendy.blogspot.com/2009/05/yogadirect-celebrates-pilates-day-2009.html

I was thrilled to see this posted, and would like to share it with my readers.

To schedule an appointment with me, Deb Preachuk, please visit:  www.pilatesintegration.com

Peace and health!

Deb P

I am posting some notes I shared with the Lung Cancer survivior's group at a local hospital here in Minnesota this week.

The topic of discussion was on the benefits of exercise with a cancer diagnosis. Here are some of the key points shared.

Activity is the key to avoiding debilitating effects of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and adjuvant therapy.   

1. Exercise is Safe
   • Studies repeatedly show that exercise is safe
   • Well tolerated
   • Beneficial
   • Post-surgical and During chemotherapy, radiation , immunotherapy, bone marrow transplant
2. Exercise helps combat Fatigue
   • fatigue #1 side effect
   • Profoundly negative effect on quality of life
   • Studies show that exercise reduces fatigue
   • Aerobic exercise during chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplant has a positive effect on reducing fatigue
   • Same effect with patients with metastatic disease
3. Too much Rest during treatment can be debilitating 
   • Myth - Too much rest – quickly become weak and debilitated
   • On average patients who are inactive lose
     • 5% of functional ability during 7 weeks of radiation therapy
     • 16% during first 9 weeks of chemotherapy
     • 19% during high dose chemotherapy (for bone marrow transplant) in 3-4 weeks
   • Physical ability decreases, simple activities become more challenging = feel tired more easily
   • Decreased ability has a negative effect on emotional and social function
   • Leads to muscle wasting
   • Bone loss
   • Sarcopenia (increased fat accumulation in conjunction with increased muscle loss)
   • Decline in heart & lung function
4. Exercise can aid in maintain Functional Ability
   • Able to improve fitness with modest exercise during treatment
   • Able to do ADL and have some energy to do other pleasurable things important to you
5. Exercise can aid in maintaining a healty Body Weight
   • Help offset weight gain due to treatment
   • Can decrease risk of recurrence in some cancers
   • Offset of other serious illnesses (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, bone and joint problems)
6. Exercise can aid in maintaing Bone Health
   • Treatments & inactivity increase rate of bone loss
   • risk of fractures increased
   • can reduce amount of bone loss during chemotherapy
7. Exercise can aid in: 
   • Reducing Anxiety & depression
   • Difficulty sleeping - aids in promoting better sleep
   • Self-esteem - increases
   • Body image - improves
   • Relieve/reduce nausea
   • Improve appetite
   • Decrease pain
   • Helps cognition “chemo brain”
   • Better patients tolerate treatment
   • Discharge from hospital sooner
8. Moderate exercise
   • as little as 10 minutes
   • Every other day
   • Sufficient to reduce fatigue
   • Divide into short sessions – 2 minutes
   • Just as effective in reducing fatigue vs. struggling to complete a sustained period

If you have questions about how to incorporate an exercise program while unergoing cancer treatment, please contact me at your convenience.

In good health,

Deb Preachuk
www.pilatesintegration.com

I'm pleased to have written my first testimonial for a fantastic Pilates resource, the Pilates Digest.

Pilates Digest (www.pilatesdigest.com) is one of the best resources available to the Pilates community. Recently the staff put together a Pilates for Golfers Manual.  Having taught Pilates on the Green classes, I was very interested in this manual.  I bought it, and found it to be one of the best Pilates resources I have purchased in quite some time. 

Here is what I had to say:

Pilates has become a premier training methodology of choice for top golfers, and golfers of all ages and experience can gain the benefits of Pilates instruction. Instructors certified in the Pilates Method may have a lack of working knowledge of the game or its physical demands on the body to accurately design a specific training program to meet the needs of the client. This is where the Pilates for Golfers Manual offers an affordable and convenient way for certified Pilates Instructors to train and educate a growing client market, the Golfer.

Beth Begelman and Kelley Ranaudo have compiled a succinct educational manual for the Pilates Instructor. Pilates for Golfers is a true step-by-step guide for the Pilates Instructor. The manual describes how Pilates concepts are a perfect match to the unique combination of mental and physical needs of the game of golf. The manual includes pre-round stretches and a golf fitness assessment form for the instructor to aid in evaluating progress from training. Most beneficial however, are the chapters on the 12 most common swing faults found in the game of golf and how specific Pilates exercises address each of these. Beth and Kelley have designed a specific training program for each of these 12 major swing faults as a template to work and build from with your Golf clients.

The body is the best piece of equipment a golfer can bring to the game. The Pilates for Golfers manual is the best piece of equipment a Pilates instructor can bring to the golf client. A phenomenal value for the money, I can’t recommend the manual enough!

To view the full write up please visit:
http://www.pilatesdigest.com/manuals/pilates-for-golfers/

If you'd like to schedule a Pilates on the Green session with me, or have any questions, please contact me at your convience.

Peace and health,

Deb Preachuk
www.pilatesintegration.com
952-432-1446