In general, avoid crossing your legs, or cross them the less comfortable way first. Crossing your legs can lead to varicose veins just above the back of your knee and to hips that are out of balance. Stand with your feet parallel when you take to someone. Draw your tummy in a fraction and lift your chest.
Sports injuries nearly always relate to other factors. Here are some comments from Olivia, a dancer:

Feedback:
“I went to see John because my foot was excruciatingly painful. Within
seconds of seeing me, he pointed out my uneven hips, something I
thought had resolved itself years before. Clearly not, because this
proved to be one of the main causes of my dodgy foot.

I dance competitively and was distraught at the thought of having to
give up. I’d sought treatment at a private hopsital and was sorely
disappointed. The treatment was aggressive and achieved absolutely
nothing. John, on the other hand, has a way way gentler approach. I
hobbled into his surgery and skipped out. I can honestly say, I owe
the fact that I’m back doing competitive dancing to him.

He even sorted out problems I didn’t realise were such because I’d got
so used to being in pain all the time. I only noticed when the pain
was gone and it had coincided with a visit to him.

He is extremely knowledgeable, incredibly generous, has a brilliant
sense of humour, but I don’t think even he appreciates just how
amazing he is. If I could, I’d bottle him and spray him on demand
because he’s such a genius.

If you’re visiting this site and wondering whether you should see John
or not, my advice to you is this: don’t waste time wondering – just
call him and make an appointment. I promise you, you’ll be glad you
did”.

An over reaction or long term (chronic) response in the sympathetic nervous system is exhausting for the systems in your body. You might feel an itchy burning sensation or pain that persists long after the initial cause has subsided. An acute response might include sweating, raised hairs, goose bumps and swelling. In a chronic response the skin might go dry and stiff with loss of muscle strength and tone.

To address the issues we need to understand where the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves come from. The sympathetic nerves largely come from the spinal chord under your ribcage. The ganglia or nerve junction boxes lie just under your ribs. If one of your ribs has been dislodged by only a fraction the nerves will be acutely painful. Often people are tested for heart disease because of chest pain when the sympathetic nerves are on edge. At the very base of your neck there are some nerves that supply the eyes. Near there are receptors that help to govern your heart rate. In your middle ribcage some nerves affect your digestion.

The parasympathetic nerves originate from the area under your sacrum at the base of your back and just under your skull at the top of your neck. The vagus nerve also wanders down your neck, emerging from a gap in your skull between the bony bump behind your ears (mastoid), and the bones at the back of your head (the occiput).

So what can help us to balance the two systems?

Yoga twists especially seated, help to unlock the ribcage releasing the sympathetic nerves and squeezing your inner organs like the liver to refresh the blood flow. Lying on a yoga block or rolled up towel can also open up your rib cage.

Chiropractic or Osteopathic manipulation helps to release the facet joints that sometimes lock the spine and affect the nerves.

Massage especially with firm pressure from experienced hands helps to unlock the spinal sympathetic nerves.

Skin brushing or stroking has a calming effect giving feedback to the spinal nerves.

Massage just under the skull and around the sacrum helps to calm the nervous system and release the parasympathetic nerves. For instance the sexual organs are stimulated by the nerves at the junction between ribs and lumbar and given intense pleasure from the nerves that emerge from the sacrum.

Acidity of the bloodstream can affect the autonomic nervous system. The blood passes through receptors and proprioceptors that trigger responses in the ANS. I once treated an environmental health officer who suffered from digestive upsets since giving up smoking. We successfully unlocked the ribcage through manipulation and improved the breathing through the diaphragm. He still had some irritable bowel disorder. I put him on a teaspoon of Aspalls cider vinegar before meals with meat and other proteins and fats in them. Cider vinegar contains malic acid that helps digestion of fats and assists the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to break down proteins into peptides. Smoking had probably changed the acidity of his bloodstream. His digestion made a dramatic improvement.

Baby massage is of benefit. work in a clockwise direction around the abdomen, better still go to a class to learn.
If you live in Kent, UK, Remi Creed is a great teacher:

If you live within reach of Milton Keynes go and see Vanya:

or come to the clinic here. I do an after the birth check up for both mother and baby for the price of one session. I have developed a technique which I call ‘the wheelbarrow”. Holding the feet with one hand I work up the spine pressing with two fingers either side. Often when I reach T6 / T7 I find that the baby reacts by crying or goes quite. Gently mobilising this area has a positive response in quietening them down.
Birth Trauma is a major factor in subsequent colic. Imagine being in the womb while your mother is pumped with pethidin, injected with an epidural and put under anaesthetic. Imagine being stuck in a spine to spine (posterior) delivery then forcibly pulled out. Perhaps your hand is on your forehead at the same time? All these chemicals and hormones are in your bloodstream and have to be expelled through the urine or digestive tract.
If your baby is suffered go and see either a cranial osteopath or a craniosacral therapist. They might well hold the key to unlocking a peaceful life for your child.

• • Get enough sleep in Winter, catnap for 15-20 minutes during the day if you do not sleep for long enough at night.
  • Avoid overheating or shutting the door of your bedroom or sleeping area. Open the window a fraction if you have to shut the door. I sleep outside about 2 nights a week, even on the snow, or in the rain (in a bivouac bag). I have not suffered a chill or flu for many years.
  • Practice good hygiene if anyone close to you does have a virus. Keep your eating & drinking utensils separate, use the dishwasher or heat plates and cups over 83 degrees C. Dispose of tissues carefully. Avoid getting too close to friends or family when they are infectious.
  • Eat highly nutritious foods – Vary your diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in season, nuts, seeds eg. tahini (from sesame seeds), eggs, Dark green vegetables and cauliflower contain calcium & folic acid. Brightly coloured vegetables and dark blue or red fruits contain anthocyanidins. Eat  a selection of nuts every day. (1. nuts are also good for your heart). Almonds contain antioxidants such as flavonoids & quercitin. as some vegetables. Avoid salted, roasted nuts, they are deep fried in palm oil and sprayed with salt. Mangoes contain lots of beta-carotine a vegetable form of vitamin A. Orange and red vegetables contain carotinoids. If your diet is high in fruit, nuts and veg. it does not leave room for lots of meat. Cook a quality chicken, simmer the bones to make stock and make a soup every week. Regularly take a spoonful of wheatgerm (high in vitamin E) and oatbran (high in soluble fibre).
  • Drink real coffee, (it protects against liver cancer), and tea (green tea if you like it). 3 cups of caffeine drinks a day is wise. Drink red grapefruit juice (take care, grapefruit can make some drugs especially heart drugs more effective). Grape juice contains reservtrol. Smoothies are good but the high fructose can lead to a very loose bowel. Fructose or fruit sugar contains oligosaccharides – short chain sugars that are hard to digest.
  • Enjoy sugar, especially the darker honeys. There is a simple rule as to whether sugar is good or bad for you, Does it stick to your teeth afterwards? If it sticks to your teeth it is likely to be processed. Processed sugars make your blood sugar  levels fluctuate wildly.

1.  Fraser GE, Sabate J, Beeson WL, Strahan TM. A possible protective effect of nut consumption on risk of coronary heart disease. The Adventist Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 1992;152(7):1416-1424.  (PubMed)

If you do feel that you are coming down with a virus try the following:

• Rest and sleep as much as you can. Drink plenty of fluids.
• Allow your temperature to rise to engulf the virus, but not above 40 degrees C.
• Take simple pain killers if you need to.
• Avoid infecting everyone else.
• Mentally tell your immune system to go into action. Your first line of defence is by making fluids, phlegm, streaming nose. Your second line of defence is swollen glands. You might feel a sore throat swollen muscles leading to a stiff neck or aching calf muscles. Your third line of defence is the white blood cells. Lymphocytes, neutrophils, leukotrienes are examples. B lymphocytes are the troops sent in to engulf viruses and their larger cousins bacteria. T lymphocytes are the generals who remember the last campaign and send in the right troops. That is why some of the recent viruses have affected younger people. Older people have come across many of them before.
• Believe in yourself, listen to your body. Don’t eat comfort junk food. You will get better and stronger.

Smoking and exposure to smoke is the highest risk factor of both infertility and miscarriage. The chances of becoming pregnant are lower the longer and the more you have smoked. Cigarettes contain over 100 potentially carcinogenic compounds. The smoke contains heavy metals that can lead to brain damage. cigarettes cause a small amount of carbon monoxide to enter your bloodstream. Haemoglobin carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide attaches readily to haemoglobin and literally exhaust the foetus (and your own cells) starving them of oxygen,leading to low birth weight and possible brain damage. Need I write more?

Miscarriage

Miscarriage is the loss of a foetus / unborn child before 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is both physically and emotionally distressing. Closure, or saying goodbye to a lost unborn child is important. A formal, or informal funeral service often helps to soften the blow and enable the parents to continue trying for a child. The causes of miscarriage are not clear but in most cases the unborn child was not ready to come into this world.

• Genetic abnormality (corruption of the DNA)
• An ectopic pregnancy
• A poorly formed placenta or poor nutrition between the placenta and foetus
• A placenta that lies too low and blocks the cervix
• Endometriosis – Endometriosis is the type of tissue that lines the womb growing elsewhere
• Some fibroids depending on the size and where they are sited – A fibroid is a non-cancerous growth  attached to the uterus, either inside or outside
• Stretched ligaments
• Infections that affect the pelvis
• In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), kidney, liver blood, stomach or spleen qi deficiency, can all affect the growth of the foetus
• An ectopic pregnancy – caused by the fertilised egg growing in the fallopian tubes
• Low progesterone levels are also thought to affect the outcome of pregnancy
• Overwork, irregular eating and working long hours is often overlooked as a cause of infertility or miscarriage. Women who cannot moderate a driven lifestyle or ease off on a punishing fitness regime are more likely to miscarry.

Before you get alarmed, unborn babies are remarkably resilient and survive conditions or accidents that would affect many adults far worse. They are living in a water bath cushioned from the outside world but sensitive to vibration, music, nutrition and stress.

Spotting or bleeding during pregnancy should be investigated. However some women go through a light period in pregnancy at the time when it was due. A urinary tract infection might also lead to blood in the urine. Consult your midwife or GP if you have any doubts.

How to minimise the risks

DNA and Genetics

Genetic abnormality might be inherited and have nothing to do with your personal health. but the risk of corrupting the DNA (coding or blueprint), increases with age, and abuse by for instance alcohol and recreational drugs. Alcohol is potentially poisonous to the foetus particularly at a very early stage of development. Either cut out or lower your alcohol intake if you want the best for your future child.

Anti-oxidants

Several studies have shown that taking anti-oxidants increasing the motility of semen (ability to swim). Studies on taking astaxanthin and and on selenium have shown positive benefits for men. Vitamin E or alphatocopherol was originally called the fertility vitamin. The richest source is to take a dessert spoon of wheatgerm a day. Other sources include sunflower seeds (39 mg/100g), almonds (24 mg/100g), hazelnuts (25 mg/100g), olive oil, groundnut oil. Other great sources of anti-oxidants are mangoes, dark blue berries and other fruits, peppers, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, most fruit and vegetables. Green vegetables contain folic acid, again helpful for conception and a healthy pregnancy. Vegetarians have a higher sperm count that big meat eaters.

Under weight or Overweight

Being underweight can cause difficulties in having a period and therefore conception. I suggest that a BMI (body mass index) of 23 to 29 is a good range. The body stores oestrogen in fatty tissues so athletic and anorexic women are less likely to ovulate and have a period. Their calcium / magnesium levels are also low leading to bone loss. A study) on eclampsia (Sudden rise in blood pressure leading to fits) in late pregnancy, showed that magnesium was effective in controlling the fits.
Being overweight carries other risks such increased pain and discomfort, with a higher risk of diabetes and an oversize baby. I do not know whether it carries a higher risk of miscarriage.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture when trying for a baby or to support IVF can be very helpful. In the first 6 days after fertilisation the egg needs increased blood flow to the endometrium. Selective acupuncture helps to improve blood flow to the small pelvis. Then a period of quietness is needed as the fertilised egg builds up cells around it to embed into the uterine wall. This is the time for not intervening. Acupuncture, acupressure and its related moxibustion (applying heat through burning moxa), can be used to lessen the chance of spontaneous abortion (if the cervix has not already dilated). Moxa (BL 67), is also helpful to turn a baby.

Stretched ligaments

The uterus sits slightly above and behind the bladder. It is covered by by both broad and round ligaments that gently anchor it to the walls of the pelvis. Some attachments run back to the sacrum, the wedge shaped bone at the base of the spine. Other supporting ligaments run from behind the pubic bones to the coccyx / sacrum. The fallopian tubes sit loosely in the pelvic bowl. If the sacrum is rotated (in torsion), between the ilia or hip bones, and if the pubic bones are not in alignment, a strain is placed on the ligaments surrounding the uterus. In our experience when the surrounding ligaments are allowed to relax using muscle energy techniques, the chances of successful conception rise. It is possible but not proven that restoring the symmetry of the uterus also improves the fallopian tubes. Over an 18 month timescale, I once counted 15 women, whom I knew about, who successfully conceived before the next period was due after treatment. A number of women have been to see us who sadly suffered miscarriage. In many cases we have seen them successfully go on to raise a healthy family after our pelvic balancing sessions. It might be co-incidence but a happy outcome all the same.

Try this : sit tall in your chair, tilt your pelvis forward a little, place your left hand on your outer thigh and your right hand on the back of your chair; rotate as much as you can. Take a minute or two to do this. Rotate a little further each time you breathe out. Look over your right shoulder and open the shoulder muscles, stretching the pects. (pectoral muscles). Twist from the upper waist. That squeezes your kidneys and liver, flushing new blood through your internal organs. Try the other side. That was a good stretch. Now bend forwards and reach out to one side. Feel how the further you stretch the more you side bend the spine. That is not a good stretch. There is an old saying, When the spine is line you feel fine.

Can anyone answer this common question? What is the difference between an osteopath, a chiropractor a physiotherapist and a holistic therapist? They all claim to have a unique philosophy and light heartedly (I hope), tease one another.