Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 13, 2016

10

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 13, 2016 


THE JOY OF YOGA

THE TMJ: DEALING WITH PAIN AND MALFUNCTION

By Douglas R. Briggs, DC, Dipl. Ac. (IAMA), 
DAAPM

TMJ is the most used joint in the body, and it opens 
and closes 1,500 to 2,000 times a day during its various 
motions of chewing, talking, swallowing, etc.

 In modern society, the number of people who 
clench their jaw or grind their teeth must also be 
considered as stress factors on the TMJ. It should be 
noted that pain is not often referred to the TMJ, but 
the joint often refers to other areas – often to the head 
and neck. The malfunctioning TMJ is one of the classic 
examples of a peripheral irritant causing a variety of 
pain patterns by firing noxious nerve impulses into 
the nervous system – and has been called “The Great 
Impostor.”2

 In an ideal arc of motion, the opening and closing 
of the TMJ is smooth and unbroken – but there are 
actually two separate motions that take place – the 
joint hinges within the glenoid fossa and glides 
forward to the eminentia. The upper portion of the 
joint is used for hinge motion, and the lower is used 
for glide. The dual heads of the external pterygoid 
muscles act asynchronously, with one head pulling 
the meniscus forward as the second opens the joint.

Normally a person should be able to open wide 
enough so that they can insert three fingers between 
the incisors.

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/common/
viewphoto.php?id=43301” http://www.
acupuncturetoday.com/content/images/
tmj__1_1_433.jpg” Placing the index fingers into the 
auditory canal will allow you to feel the motion of 
the joint. Passive motion can be tested by placing the 
fingers on the lower incisors and pushing the mouth 
open (gently) as far as reasonable. Limitations noted 
may be due to dysfunction, RA, congenital anomalies, 
ankylosis, TMJ osteoarthritis, or muscle spasm.

 Acupuncture can provide great relief. Local points 
to be considered should include ST7, SJ, SI19, and 
CB2.3 Distal points should include LU7 and LI4. 
I have also found ST45 to be a magical point for 
jaw problems. There are a number of good manual 
treatment options including manual impulse, 
Activator, and even Thompson Drop.

 The TMJ can quickly become a very complicated 
joint with many factors to consider.

 Not all TMJs are created equal. Kids wearing braces, 
auto accident/whiplash, and good old fashioned 
tension can all contribute. Sometimes TMJ problems 
are entirely secondary to other issues or treatments, 
such as pressure on the jaw from halter traction for 
a neck injury. Take the time to slowly evaluate and 
determine what the best course of care will be. As 
always, document the presenting complaints, exam 
findings, diagnoses, care plan, and response to care. 

 References : http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/
mpacms/at/article.php?t=32&id=32726

FIRE IN THE BELLY

Create a fire in your belly and ignite your passion for life!! 
So much takes place at the navel center. Many studies 
report that serotonin production begins in the gut and 
it’s often called our “second brain”. There are so many 
articles on this topic. Browse for them and you will be 
amazed. Thus, the navel center is like a central storehouse 
for motivation, joy, and power. This is true physically and 
energetically. We can relate this back to the strong feeling 
we get from doing “core” work. Although the core goes 
around back too, this strengthening at the belly helps to 
stablize the entire body. 

 In my tradition, when we say “fire in the belly” we are 
referring to the energy center at the navel. When our fire 
or flame is lit, the essence of who we are is apparent. We 
have the motivation, stability and stamina to accomplish 
what we want and be who we want to be. Creating this fire 
or vibrant flame at the navel center also plays another role. 
The heat and flame can help dissolve some of the crud built 
up in the lower two chakras (energy centers). Most of our 
“stuff” or trouble from the past are held at the root and 
sacral regions. These areas have to do with security, desire, 
and relationships. If the fire becomes bright enough and 
steady enough, it can help us TRANSFORM beyond our 
limitations. Thus, fire in belly facilitates our transformation. 
To create this in our practice, it’s best to first, make the 
body and mind as clean, clear and stable as possible. We’d 
never want to ignite a flame without the proper fuel for the 
fire. It will just burn out that way. A steady burning flame is 
the one we want, with an even, abundant fuel source. The 
fuel source being our vital energy reserves. Transformation 
is not going to happen when we’re running on empty. 
Next, we simply begin to gather and direct energy there to 
strengthen and enliven the entire area. 

 Think about the power held at navel center, do some 
work in the area and see what happens. In fact, get with 
a teacher in the tantric tradition and begin a meditation 
specific to directing energy there. Enjoy the confidence 
and joy it produces! 

 Namaste and see you in class! I teach Tuesday evenings 
and Friday mornings at Yoga Madre. If those times don’t 
work, we have many other class times with experienced, 
wonderful teachers. 

Keely Totten 


FOOD AND DRINK

JULIE’S FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPES

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

First of all, let’s agree to agree, Valentine’s Day 
should be a full week. A single day is not long 
enough to fully express one’s love. What do you 
say about having an evening at home with a bottle 
of champagne and a candlelight table for dinner? 
You may wonder why a restaurant critic would 
dare such treason. In all truth, it’s an impossible 
night for restaurants. Service is less than optimal 
and even the guarantee of a reservation can lead 
to a long wait and the siphon of romance. 

 Every February, across the country, candy, 
flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved 
ones. All in the name of St. Valentine, but who is 
this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate the 
passion of this holiday? The history of Valentine’s 
Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in 
mystery. But we do know that February has long 
been a month of romance. Valentine’s Day, as we 
know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian 
and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint 
Valentine and how did he become associated 
with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic 
Church recognizes at least three different saints 
named Valentine or Valentines, all of whom were 
martyred.

 One legend contends that Valentine was a priest 
who served during the third century in Rome. 
When Emperor Claudius II decided that single 
men made better soldiers than those with wives 
and families, he outlawed marriage for young 
men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, 
realizing the injustice of the decree, defied 
Claudius and continued to perform marriages for 
young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions 
were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put 
to death. His love for love lives on each February.

 I realize that the stay at home experience will 
not fly with everyone’s better half, so let’s go 
dining

 One of my favorite restaurants in Pasadena is 
The Central Park Café on S. Fair Oaks. The menu 
offers a variety of meats, poultry and seafood. I 
am a major fan of their crab bisque soup. 

(626) 449-4499

 Avanti Café, The restaurant like the owner is 
small and very charming. Nice pizzas and pastas 
and you won’t go broke eating at Avanti. (626) 
577-4688

 How about Café Beaujolais in Eagle Rock, I 
dined there recently and was very pleased with the 
dishes, plus their prices are reasonable. The crème 
brulee will make the most stubborn woman 
swoon. 

(323) 255-5111

Join me every Saturday afternoon 5 PM KLAA 
AM Radio

From First Lady Michelle Obama 

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples

Ingredients

3/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 pieces

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apple

1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over 
pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of 
doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

2. Melt butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add apple slices, 1/3 cup shallots, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes or 
until apple starts to brown. Add apple cider to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender. Stir 
in thyme leaves. Serve apple mixture with the pork.Serve with a spinach salad.

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine Nov., 2012

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com