Some Feet Not Meant for Shoes


Book Description

A defiant young white woman embarks upon a mystical journey through greed, racism and intolerance to find that in a previous lifetime she was a black slave girl. Caught in the midst of a spiritual metamorphosis she is hardly aware of, Norah is torn between two worlds: the one she expects and the one she suspects. She marries a scientist who scoff s at her peculiar feelings in just the way that science can. While Norah attempts to suppress what her spirit is trying to teach her, angels appear and challenge her to look deeper within for the elusive truth. She is a reckless and undisciplined young white woman, desperate for answers to questions she is only now learning and daring to ask. For reasons she barely understands, she finds herself drawn to a wise metaphysician. Norah becomes his student and, through his illuminations, begins to feel her mystical consciousness break free and birth. As her grasp of the world around her is refined, she turns to her West Indian friends, who for Norah become the creation that slavery left behind. Told from multiple characters points of view and in the first person, Norahs unconventional tale progresses toward the awakening of her past life as an African slave, through which racism, intolerance and greed echo still. Split between cultures, colors, beliefs and even lifetimes, Norahs perspective on race and the history of hate is the ultimate catalyst for her transformation. Hers is a magical journey of loss, discovery and love that meanders naturally like a river across space and time, drifting from Los Angeles to the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Dominica.




Why Things Hurt


Book Description

Why Things Hurt is a collection of true stories and meaningful explanations about how our bodies work and the journeys we travel to maintain them. It provides accessible answers and structured principles on topics such as posture, pain, pregnancy, exercise, footwear and sports. Physiotherapist, Brent Stevenson discusses how to navigate your medical systems and what you should and should not expect from your physicians. He outlines what everyone should know about their own body, both physically and emotionally, by combining conversational lessons with cathartic true stories of injury, pain, resilience and perseverance. This book will empower you to make proactive choices for your body and help guide your journey in the right direction. Praise for Why Things Hurt: "This book encapsulates Brent's wisdom beyond his years and is extremely well written. It is personal, yet professional. Through his blogs and patient's stories Brent explains the current state of the art and science of physiotherapy and has made the complex topic of chronic pain simple to understand. Experience doesn't always create wisdom, but reflection and sharing of experiences often does. I personally and professionally resonated with many parts of this book and look forward to using it as a tool in my practice to help clients understand Why Things Hurt." -Diane Lee, Physiotherapist & Educator "From cover to cover, Why Things Hurt is a rare and exciting reading adventure. He explores the ever-fascinating multiverse of the dynamics of the body and mind, related with his own unique heart, empathy and practicality. A handbook for every health care professional and any "body" that loves to move regardless of age or stage of life." -Siobhan O'Connell, Physiotherapist & Clinical Pilates Instructor 'First and foremost, Why Things Hurt is a great read. Through his interaction with thousands of patients, Brent has developed a unique and special insight into how our bodies work, both on a functional and holistic level. What is remarkable is how he has translated this into a book that has useful lessons and guidance for everyone; there is valuable learning here in terms of how to manage pain, both physically and psychologically, as well as how to prevent it. He advocates for a multidisciplinary approach to pain management which is key. A must read, even if you don't hurt, yet.' - Dr. Kenneth Ryan, MD, Anesthesiologist "Why Things Hurt takes you on a wildly entertaining journey of discovery into how your body actually works or doesn't work, and how to fix it according to Brent's unique mastery of physiotherapy, IMS and complex problem solving. Being a detail-oriented PhD scientist, and having competed at numerous world championships in triathlon and mountain running, this book is a fantastic resource for keeping my body moving and pain-free even with all the twists and turns life throws at me! -Mike McMillan, PhD Scientist & Triathlete




Barefoot Running Step by Step


Book Description

“Barefoot Ken Bob is The Master. Long before anyone else was even talking about barefoot running, he was perfecting the art . . . Now, after twenty years of teaching, experimenting, and “merry marathoning” (as he calls it), the first and best source of barefoot-running knowledge is bringing his ideas to print. And it’s about time.” —Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and The Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen “Ken Bob Saxton, a pioneer of the modern barefoot running movement, has logged more miles in his birthday shoes than just about anyone I know, and he has helped countless people run barefoot. As one would expect, this delightful book, full of wit and wisdom, is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to run barefoot, avoid injury, and have fun.” —Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University "This is a wonderful guide from the Godfather of barefoot running!" —Irene Davis, Ph.D., director of Spaulding National Running Center, Harvard Medical School Learn Barefoot Running From the Master! Almost overnight, barefoot running has exploded onto the fitness scene. However, it involves more than simply taking off your shoes. In fact, everything you’ve learned about barefoot running is probably wrong—unless you’ve learned it from Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton. The leading instructor and proponent of unshod running, he has completed 76 marathons barefoot, survived an astounding marathon-a-month challenge in 2004, and gone on to top that with 16 marathons in 2006, including four in a 15-day period—all barefoot. Barefoot Running Step by Step separates the facts from the hype, outlines Ken Bob’s personal techniques, and details the latest research on the newest trend in mankind’s oldest sport. Whether you barefoot run occasionally, part-time, or full-time, you’ll find methods for improving your form, staying injury-free, dramatically improving your speed and performance, and having more fun. The Bent Knee: Here is the hidden secret to perfect running form. Learn how this crucial adjustment will keep you running stronger and injury-free for life. Vibrams and Minimalist Shoes: Barefoot running is not a transition from shoes to minimalist shoes to bare feet. It’s the other way around. Discover why you need to run barefoot before you use other footwear. Start From the Head: Proper barefoot form doesn’t start at the feet. Discover how to get the correct body biomechanics. Ease Into It: Here are the steps you need to take to make the transition from running in shoes to barefoot running as painless and easy as possible. Improve Speed: Barefoot running’s injury reduction benefits are well-touted; however a new landmark study proves that barefooting—even part-time—can make you faster. Barefoot Running Step by Step is filled with series photos and illustrations that show you the “do’s” and “don’ts” of barefoot running, the latest research, and Ken Bob Saxton’s personal experiences and insights for running barefoot for life.




Born to Run


Book Description

A New York Times bestseller 'A sensation ... a rollicking tale well told' - The Times At the heart of Born to Run lies a mysterious tribe of Mexican Indians, the Tarahumara, who live quietly in canyons and are reputed to be the best distance runners in the world; in 1993, one of them, aged 57, came first in a prestigious 100-mile race wearing a toga and sandals. A small group of the world's top ultra-runners (and the awe-inspiring author) make the treacherous journey into the canyons to try to learn the tribe's secrets and then take them on over a course 50 miles long. With incredible energy and smart observation, McDougall tells this story while asking what the secrets are to being an incredible runner. Travelling to labs at Harvard, Nike, and elsewhere, he comes across an incredible cast of characters, including the woman who recently broke the world record for 100 miles and for her encore ran a 2:50 marathon in a bikini, pausing to down a beer at the 20 mile mark.




The Perfect Pointe Book


Book Description

This unique book gives you the extra help you need to get strong enough for pointe work. It includes lots of exercises, divided into four simple stages to work on; the flexibility of your feet and ankles, the strength of your little foot muscles, your turnout and your core control. It also guides you through tests for each stage so that you can work out where you problem areas are! This book is essential for any student preparing for, or already on pointe, and any teacher wanting to learn more about safely preparing students for the most beautiful of dance forms!Stage 1 - Fabulous FlexibilityThe first stage includes tests and exercises to make sure that your feet into the best possible position for pointe work. Some people will find this stage easy, others will find it much harder. No matter where you start, the easy exercises and stretches in this section will help you get a great looking pointe. Stage 2 - Marvelous MusclesHere you learn about all the different muscles in your feet, and why it is important to get the right ones strong! Mastering the fine control of your toes helps prevent blisters on the toes, as well as overuse problems in the shins. This stage will transform how you work with your feet forever. Stage 3 - Terrific TurnoutGetting onto pointe is not all about your feet. Find out how to find your true turnout muscles and make them stringer so that you don




The Age-Well Project


Book Description

Diseases of older age take root decades before symptoms appear. For a longer, happier life, we need to plan ahead - but what exactly should we do? For five years, Annabel Streets and Susan Saunders immersed themselves in the latest science of longevity, radically overhauling their lives and documenting their findings on their popular blog. After reading hundreds of studies and talking to numerous experts, Annabel and Susan have compiled almost 100 short cuts to health in mid and later life, including: how, when and what to eat; the supplements worth taking; when, where and how to exercise; the most useful medical tests; how to avoid health-threatening chemicals; the best methods for keeping the brain sharp; and how to sleep better.




Whole Body Barefoot


Book Description

How can we unlock whole-body movement when our feet have been bound for decades? Is it as simple as kicking off our shoe-shackles and releasing our feet into the wild? Whole Body Barefoot will help you safely and effectively transition to minimal footwear, reaping the enormous benefits of freeing your feet without injuring yourself along the way. Whole Body Barefoot presents: How conventional shoes can cause your body to lose mobility and muscle, The importance of walking on natural surfaces, The corrective exercises that can transition your shoe-adapted feet and legs, Vitamin "Texture"-and how the latest research on toe-walking and texture might mean that barefoot time is essential to walking well, With clear, science-based explanations, biomechanist Katy Bowman lays out the issues created by conventional shoes and artificial environments, and describes in detail the steps necessary to transition to more natural footwear safely and effectively. With over twenty exercises, this is a must-have for anyone hoping to restore lost foot function, and improve their health...naturally! Book jacket.




Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief


Book Description

Don't just treat your foot pain—strengthen your feet to prevent it. Back with an expanded edition of her popular book Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief, biomechanist Katy Bowman has created a new version for both men and women in all walks of life. With updated material and new visuals that illustrate exactly how to strengthen and mobilize your feet, Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief will show you how to change the way you move your body to prevent pain, heal your feet, and halt damage to the rest of your body. Bowman's simple, accessible, innovative program will help you naturally address lower-leg and foot issues such as: - Hammertoes - Bunions - Plantar fasciitis - Poor posture and alignment Bowman walks you gently through exercises to strengthen your feet, what shoes you should (and should not) be wearing, and how these choices affect your overall foot—and whole-body!—health. Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief will teach you how healthy feet work optimally and help you put your best foot forward on the path toward moving with greater ease.




Fixing Your Feet


Book Description

Foot pain and injuries can thwart even the most experienced athletes. Foot expert and ultra runner John Vonhof discredits the conventional wisdom of 'no pain, no gain, ' teaching instead how the interplay of anatomy, biomechanics, and footwear can lead to happy or hurting feet. With a focus on individual and team care, the 6th edition of Fixing Your Feet covers all that any active person needs to know to find out what works now and also hundreds of miles down the road. This sixth edition has an important new chapter, Blister Prevention - A New Paradigm. It contains new information about blister formation and introduces the concept of shear, which in turn, changes the way we look at blister prevention and treatment. This comprehensive resources covers the full gamut of footwear basics, prevention, and treatments. If it can happen to a foot, it's covered in this book.




The Barefoot Book


Book Description

Our addiction to wearing shoes has been linked to conditions ranging from foot fungus and bacteria to bunions and fallen arches. Ill-fitting and high-heeled shoes cause damage to the knees and spine, and continuous wearing of any kind of shoes builds up these problems. Daniel Howell describes the benefits of a simple alternative: going barefoot. The barefoot lifestyle corrects misalignments and increases foot strength and flexibility, and it is practiced in many other countries. In a reader-friendly, accessible style, this practical book explains the health advantages of going barefoot, provides tips for increasing barefoot time, and encourages everyone to experience the health benefits and the natural, vital pleasure of a barefoot connection with the earth.