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Hi All!
Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.
What I’m reading —
The Psoas Book by Liz Koch
“Do you know where your lats are and can you engage them?” is a battle cry I’ve heard ringing from the ramparts of not only the kettlebell and bodyweight castles but also from the ramparts of dance — in my case, Brazilian Zouk. But how often do we hear a battle cry to pay attention to our psoas? And in fact, how many of us can even come up with a cogent explanation for the importance of the psoas? Crickets. Crickets. Crickets…
But truth be told, it’s just possible that the psoas is the single most important muscle in our body. The correct functioning of the psoas is key to correct movement, optimal health and a sense of deep well-being. But a dry, tight psoas acts like an insidious wrecking ball, creating an energy-sapping level of dysfunction throughout our systems. Strong words, but if you don’t believe me, I invite you to check out Koch’s book.
My interest in and understanding of the psoas was greatly enhanced by my exposure to TRE (Tension Release Exercise). The Psoas Book — with its accessible explanations and wealth of research, plus its set of protocols for healing the psoas — has added vital new information and given me an expectation that I can further refine my movement skills and be that much more resilient in the future.
What I am putting into my body —
Stamets 7 Mushroom Mycelium Powder
On a flight back from Denver recently, I sat next to this gentleman whose wooly-looking, professorial demeanor turned out to be masking a decidedly eclectic if not downright radical set of past life experiences. Besides being a licensed physician with a particular interest in neurology, he had a deep background in indigenous America healing arts and a particular taste for hallucinogens of every kind and potency. The discussion turned to psilocybin and the current interest in all things mushroom…
My mysterious flight mate was a big fan of the mushroom guru Paul Stamets and regaled me with some stories in his regard. He also suggested I try the Stamets 7 product which I dutifully ordered. It’s a combo of Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Reishi, Royal Sun Blazei, Maitake, and Mesima. So far so good — it is feeling like another worthwhile immune protector to keep in my arsenal. Perhaps it will work for you too.
There are a lot of strong reviews on Amazon for the product. Here’s a fairly typical one that caught my eye:
“These were recommended to me by my homeopathic/naturopathic doctor about 90 days ago. I am seeing him due to major stomach issues/GERD/gastroparesis that plagued me for months and years. Since he was able to completely cure me of the aforementioned issues when other “western/regular” style doctors couldn’t even diagnose the problem I thought I would give these a go since I always seem to get sick during cold/flu season due to my job having me traveling a lot. I will say this, not only have I stayed 100% healthy this year (oh, and did I mention I have 2 children under the age of 4 who are sick all the time), but these also help with my energy levels (I don’t get the 2 o’clock crash I used to) and my overall feeling of health. These are an absolute must for anyone wanting to get healthier, but more importantly stay healthy despite being around sick people. Yes, they are a bit pricy ($360/yr), but if I don’t have to pay for my medical co-pays and antibiotics or other meds the trade off is the exact same. Pay now or pay later…up to you!”
Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com