The Five Pillars of Wellness and the new L.O.L.

Listen, Obedience, and Love George J. Ceremuga, DO CAPT, USPHS Chief, Integrative Holistic Medicine Fort Belvoir Community Hospital

George J. Ceremuga, DO • Osteopathic Family Physician

• Fort Belvoir Community Hospital • CAPT, United States Public Health

• Chief, Integrative Holistic Medicine • Clinical Director , Inpatient Addiction Medicine

My Vision • Build a healthy, vibrant, and resilient nation.

Five Pillars of Wellness • Pure Water – Our bodies are 70% water – Filtered, bottle, or spring water are essential for proper health

Five Pillars of Wellness • Organic Foods – As much as possible – Fruits and vegetables should be the mainstay of

our diets – “Food is medicine and medicine is food”

Five Pillars of Wellness • Exercise – Most days – “Motion is a lotion” – Get ready to move!

Five Pillars of Wellness • Sleep – 7-9 hours per night – We need the rest to reconstitute our bodies – Should come naturally without medication

Five Pillars of Wellness • Spiritual Life – The inspiration, motivation, direction and guidance to live the life our higher power intends us to live. – Humility, love, and forgiveness – Unconditional love being the greatest healer

Five Pillars of Wellness • Pure Water

• Organic Foods • Exercise

• Sleep • Spiritual Life

Let’s Get Ready to Move!

Grounding Posture • Knees slightly bent – Shoulder width apart

• Shoulders slightly back • Chin slightly tucked

Grounding Exercise • Take a deep breath and bend down with back straight and swoop the ground and as we again stand, trace the Chi or energy into the front of our bodies through the meridians/energy channels. On exhalation we

trace the meridian channels on the posterior aspect of our bodies as we bend down to gather more of the earth’s vital energy. Our goal is to free any blocked energy channels for optimal flow of our body’s vital energy. Repeat this 7 times (7 being the number of wholeness, completeness).

Move the vital energy into our lungs

• Start with the grounding position and take a deep breath in with hands starting at our umbilicus and moving up to

our chest. At the peak of the breath, take 3 additional small breaths. At the bottom of exhalation, take 3 additional small breaths out. Repeat this 3 times.

Augment the energy within our vital organs • By rubbing the upper abdomen with both hands we bring the vital energy from mother earth into our legs, into our core (abdomen and pelvis), into our chest, out our arms into our hands and into these vital organs (liver: many metabolic functions, spleen: large lymph node which helps fight infections and the pancreas: both digestive and blood sugar control).

Augment the energy within our vital organs • We then rub the umbilicus with one hand and the upper chest with the other. Moving vital energy to the stomach:

center of life connectedness (umbilical cord in utero) and the nutritional center of our bodies. The heart is responsible for pumping blood teaming full of oxygen and nutrients throughout our bodies. It is also the spiritual and emotional centers of our body! The thymus gland produces T-Lymphocytes and helps fight infections and cancer. We again bring that vital energy from mother

earth into our core (abdomen and pelvis), into our chest, out our arms into our hands and into theses vital organs.

Augment the energy within our vital organs • Now we rub the lower back which represents the meridian system for our

kidneys (detoxifying our blood) and the adrenal glands (hormonal support for our bodies). We now bring the vital energy from mother earth into our legs, into our core, into our chest, out our arms into our hands and into these vital organs.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Our body can be mapped on our palms soles and ears. First

rub the palm of your hand with your thumb. Apply firm pressure, any tender spots, treat with acupressure, 5 seconds of steady pressure and repeat as needed.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Massage out to the tips of each finger and thumb stimulating the nerves and vessels to help lubricate the fingers.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Next, move to the ear. The earlobe is represented by the head and neck of our body. • Apply gentle traction on both earlobes and feel a calming, relaxing and a sense of tranquility.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Then massage the entire ear front and back feeling an increased sense of calmness and warmth.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Lastly, please take a seat on the ground and place your right leg over the top of your left knee. Massage with firm

pressure the heel of your foot which represents the sciatic and gluteal region of body.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Apply 5 seconds of acupressure for any tender

areas and repeat as needed. Then massage the middle of the foot which is represented by

our intestinal tract. Again, apply acupressure as needed.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Now massage the upper foot represented by our chest (lungs and

heart). Apply any acupressure as needed.

Reflex Microsystem Acupressure • Massage out to the tips

of each toe stimulating the nerves and vessels

to help lubricate the toes.

Yoga Positions • Posterior Stretch – Stretches hamstrings – Increases range of motion and strength of spine

• Stretch for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times

Yoga Positions • Half Spinal Twist – Increases blood flow and peristalsis

• Stretch for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Yoga Positions • Repeat stretch by switching legs and looking over the opposite shoulder. • Stretch for 5 seconds

and repeat 3 times.

Muscle Energy • Muscle energy techniques – Help build core muscles – Strengthen lower backs – Uses opposite muscles to balance and promote a proper structure-function relationship – These techniques will be used to balance the pelvis • Pelvis is key in establishing optimal spinal health

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 1 – Resist upward motion of right knee with right hand

– Feel the pull in the groin and hip

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times

Muscle Energy • Switch Legs – Resist upward motion of left knee with left hand

– Feel the pull in the groin and hip

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 2 – Bring knees near chest. Forearms on the outside of knees

– Resist outward motion of legs with forearms

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 3 – Keep knees near chest. Forearms on the inside of knees

– Resist inward motion of legs with forearms

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 4 – While lying on our back, bring knees into chest and resist outward motion of our knees.

• Resist 3 seconds, relax,

and repeat 3 times

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 5 – While lying on our back, bring each knee individually into chest and resist outward motion of that knee.

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times each leg

Muscle Energy

• Muscle Energy 6 – While lying on our side, bring the right knee to a 90° bend, resist upward motion of the right knee with the right hand.

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times each leg

Muscle Energy • Muscle Energy 6 – While lying on our side, bring the left knee to a 90° bend, resist upward motion of the left knee with the left hand.

• Resist 3 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 times each leg

Yoga Positions

• Cobra – While lying on our stomach, fully extend arms and lift chest and head off of the ground – Increases range of motion and strengthens spine

• Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times

Yoga Positions • Locust – Arms at our sides, lift our thighs off of the ground – Great for spinal health

• Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times

Plank

• Front Plank – Rest on our elbows and toes while keeping our body as straight as possible – Building the muscles of the forearms, shoulders, chest, and core.

• Hold for 30 seconds initially (increase this hold over time)

Plank • Right Lateral Plank – Balance on our right forearm with our right foot resting over our left foot, lift ourselves up, and keep our body as straight as possible.

• Hold for 30 seconds initially (increase this hold over time)

Plank

• Left Lateral Plank – Balance on our left forearm with our left foot resting over our right foot, lift ourselves up, and keep our body as straight as possible.

• Hold for 30 seconds initially (increase this hold over time)

Push-ups • Do as many as you can and attempt to increase your number over time!

Break Time • Five Pillars of Wellness Review – Pure Water • Now is a great time to drink some pure, bottle, or filtered water

– Organic Foods • By eating organic we minimize our exposure to toxins such as pesticides, herbicides,

antibiotics, and hormones

– Exercise • Doesn’t this feel good!? Motion is a lotion!

– Sleep • Getting proper sleep will empower us to live a healthy lifestyle

– Spiritual Life • The most important • The inspiration, motivation, and direction

• Living the live that God intends us to live

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation • Assume a good ground position – Knees slightly bent • Shoulder width apart

– Shoulders slightly back – Chin slightly tucked

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation • Bring one knee up 90° • Breathe in a cleansing breath • Begin meditation

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation

• Say and repeat “May I be happy… may I be humble… may I be peaceful… and may I be loved.” Take a cleansing breath.

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation • Switch legs, say and repeat “May I be happy… may I be humble… may I be peaceful… and may I be loved.” Take a cleansing breath.

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation • Assume a good grounding position • Switch legs • This time have your leg straight and your toe pointed • Breathe in a cleansing breath • Begin meditation

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation

• Just as before, say and repeat “May I be happy… may I be humble… may I be peaceful… and may I be loved.” Take a cleansing breath.

Core Muscle Strengthening and Introduction to Meditation

•

Switch legs, and again say and repeat “May I be happy… may I be humble… may I be peaceful… and may I be loved.” Take a cleansing breath.

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong) • This is done in slow deliberate pattern stepping forward with each foot five times each side and moving the arms forward in a rhythmic pattern. This is repeated 5 times each side 45 degrees to

the front, 5 times each side 90 degrees, 5 times each side 45 degrees to the rear and 5 times each side at 180 degrees to the rear.

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong)

• Front 5 times each side

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong)

• 45 degrees to the front 5 times each

side

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong) • 90 degrees 5 times each

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong)

• 45 degrees to the rear 5 times each

side

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong)

• 180 degrees to the rear 5 times each

side

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong) • Spirited and animated Qi-Gong motion • Follow along or make up your own • Move back and forth 7 times and repeat the movement another 7 times. It combines moving the

upper arms in a waving motion across the body while the legs are moving in a karaoke pattern (crossing back and forth over one another).

Moving Meditation (Qi-Gong)

Keep Life SIMPLE • S

Seek

• I

Intimacy for Self and Higher Power

• M Meditation/Mindfulness • P

Purpose

• L

Love and forgive self and others

• E

Eternal Enlightenment

The New L.O.L. • L Listen • O Obedience

• L Love

Have a blessed day! George J. Ceremuga, DO CAPT, USPHS Chief, Integrative Holistic Medicine

Fort Belvoir Community Hospital [email protected]