Articles by Susannah Kent
The Science of Yoga
Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer, William J. Broad, believes yoga has the ability to heal and harm, soothe and stimulate. In his fascinating, if somewhat rambling, book The Science of Yoga, Broad’s intent is to clear the confusion surrounding... Read more »
The Reiki Manual: A Training Guide for Reiki Students, Practitioners, and Masters
The energy healing practice of Reiki (originating in Japan in the 1920s and most often translated as ‘universal life-force energy’), received some noteworthy support when renowned cardiovascular surgeon, and one of America’s most popular television... Read more »
The Feel Good Factor
Depression affects 121 million people worldwide. Here at home, The Mood and Disorder Society of Canada reports that 8% of Canadians will suffer from a major depression in their lifetime.
Allopathic medicine's answer is antidepressants. With all... Read more »
Dancing on the Earth: Women’s stories of healing through dance
I have always loved to dance, so naturally I looked forward to reading the stories in Dancing on the Earth. This collection of 15 essays about healing through dance, written by women dancers from around the world, did not disappoint. Each essay was... Read more »
The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia
Philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau believed that "nature did her best each moment to make us well," and furthermore, that we should not resist her. The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia makes it easy to comply with nature’s wishes.
... Read more »
Your Bones
Silently and without warning, our bones can weaken and become easy to break or fracture. Fortunately, and contrary to what was once believed, this is not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, as health writer Lara Pizzorno explains in her new book,... Read more »
Fountain of Youth Exercises
As we grow older, it is not surprising that we find ourselves looking back longingly to our youth (firm muscles, glowing skin, boundless energy and vitality). Fortunately, recent research out of Hamilton’s McMaster University is now revealing the... Read more »
The Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan
Alzheimer’s disease, along with its devastating impact, has received quite a bit of attention recently. Dementia experts from around the world gathered in Toronto this past March to focus on the most effective ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s... Read more »
The Courage Companion
Most people don’t believe they are, or have the potential to be, courageous. However, according to authors Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons, each and every one of us has the ability to tap into our own personal reservoir of courage, fortitude,... Read more »
Fitness Cues & Views – December 2004
Proper alignment helps to maintain body functions and prevents pain and restriction of movement. Unfortunately most people spend their daily lives doing things that foster poor posture, misalignment, tight muscles, and pressure on nerves, which... Read more »
Fitness Cues & Views – March 2005
EXERCISE SAMPLER • SUSANNAH’S ASANAS 101
Lying Down Basic Twist: Supta Matsyendrsana
One of the simpler yogasanas or yoga postures, the lying down twist, stretches and lengthens the spine. It is soothing for the neck and spine and relieves tension... Read more »
Fitness Cues & Views
THE TRIANGLE: TRIKONASANA
The triangle might seem like a rather simple pose, but the alignment of the body is crucial and the angles of the spine, arms and legs should be precise. This yogasana stretches the spine, increases flexibility of the... Read more »
Bodies in Balance
“When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through, then spontaneously, the body heals itself.” — Ida P. RolfThe following is an interview with Rob Stott, Certified Rolfing Practitioner.
Susannah Kent – What can you... Read more »
Cold Play – Winter Fitness
As the weather turns colder, and daylight hours get shorter, there is a tendency to stay indoors where it is warm and dry, curl up with a good book and a hot drink and promise yourself that you will get back into shape when spring returns.... Read more »
The Gentle Power of CranioSacral Therapy
One cannot help but be impressed with a health treatment so powerful, it can change the direction of a person’s life work. This was the case with Robert Harris and Alix McLaughlin, co-directors of The Cranial Therapy Centre in Toronto.
Over 20... Read more »
Total Body Strength Training
There is a tendency for people to panic when approaching the age of 30. Perhaps it’s an unconscious realization that the body has already started to age. It has been estimated that lean muscle mass may decrease by as much as half between the ages... Read more »
Solid to the Core
Although core strength is crucial to health, it has not been until fairly recently that fitness experts have started to spread the word. One of those experts is sports physiotherapist and physical trainer, Janique Farand-Taylor. In her practice,... Read more »
Remarkable Reiki
The Complementary and Alternative Medicine branch of the National Institutes of Health (US) classifies Reiki as a form of energy medicine. A Japanese word, Reiki has been translated to mean the “universal life force.” Specifically, “rei refers to... Read more »
The Pilates Bible
As a fitness instructor, I am always on the lookout for current and comprehensive information about exercise methods. I was quite excited, then, to receive a copy of The Pilates Bible, the latest work from Pilates guru Lynne Robinson (in... Read more »
The Healing Art and Science of Qigong
Qigong is an ancient form of self-healing originating in China. It has been called the mother of Chinese healing and is one the cornerstones of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Qigong is the phonetic transcription of two Chinese characters (Qi and... Read more »
Sleepless in Toronto
The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
A young college student is overwhelmed near final exams. He tries to get to sleep but can’t seem to manage more than two or three hours a night. So concerned... Read more »
Easy Homeopathy
o date, my experience with homeopathy has been limited to the use of Arnica for the occasional exercise related injury. Its consistent and considerable efficacy prompted me to learn more about homeopathy and other homeopathic remedies. If you are... Read more »
See Better with Vision Education
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.
- Henri Bergson (Nobel Prize Winner – Literature, 1927)
Have you ever stopped to think what it would be like to (literally) see again through the eyes of a child? Most infants have a... Read more »
Be the Change You Want To See In the World
As the most recent G-8 summit proved, world governments are still unwilling to support the necessary actions which could help solve the critical problems of climate change, world hunger, AIDS and so on. It is enough to make any sensible, caring... Read more »
Reduce Your Stress at Work
It has been said that “stress is the trash of modern life – we all generate it, but if you don’t dispose of it properly it will pile up and overtake your life”. (Danzae Pace)
After reviewing statistics gathered by the American Psychological... Read more »
Menopause with Science and Soul
It has been suggested that women regard menopause as the gateway to their second adulthood, and recreate this new phase of their lives on their own terms. In her new book, Menopause with Science and Soul, Judith Boice, a Naturopathic Doctor who... Read more »
Exercise for Your Muscle Type
Have you ever dreamed of taking part in a marathon, but have trouble running the quarter mile to the bus stop? Maybe you have always wanted to develop muscle definition, and go from scrawny to brawny, but despite hard work you get few results.... Read more »
Applying Attention To Activity
When I told a friend recently that my next article was on The Alexander Technique, her response was, “What’s that?”. At the time, I blithely responded that it had to do with improving posture. As I have come to understand it more fully, that... Read more »
HEALTHY HEART STRATEGIES
The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not ~ Mark Twain
In 1998, Dr. Jean-Pierre Després, Director of Research in Cardiology at the Hôpital Laval Research Centre, spoke... Read more »
Easing the Pain of Arthritis Naturally
Acceptance of this painful disease can be difficult for those diagnosed with arthritis. The Canadian Arthritis Society urges those facing the challenge of arthritis to not let it beat them. They advise arthritis sufferers to get armed with as... Read more »
Wisdom from the Middle Ages for Middle-Aged Women
As women approach middle age, many are faced with physical and emotional upheaval: divorce, empty nest, rebellious teenagers, ailing parents, hard career decisions, and menopause. In these difficult times women need comfort, support and good... Read more »
Life Beyond the Carpal Tunnel
When I hear the term carpal tunnel, I think of sore hands and wrists associated with computer, or cash register usage. However, from the intriguingly titled self-help guide, Life Beyond the Carpal Tunnel by Dr. Heather Tick, I discovered that... Read more »
Boost Your Metabolism Cookbook
Metabolism – the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy – tends to slow down as you age. If this is not addressed, increased body fat and overall weight gain is likely. Consequently, it makes sense to do everything... Read more »
The Trager® Approach for Easy, Fluid, Joyful Movement
Be strong then, and enter into your own body. - Kabir
When I was little, I imagined how magical it would be to run, jump and dance on big, white, puffy clouds. In my mind it felt soft, light, easy, and most of all fun. As a grown-up in mid-life, I... Read more »
PILATES ON THE GREEN (DVD REVIEW)
Now that summer is finally here, golf enthusiasts are in full “swing” mode, with many looking to improve their game. What many don’t realize is that if they first improve their overall physical health (core strength and flexibility, for example)... Read more »
SELF - Trim and Tone Fast (DVD)
We don’t always have the time, energy, or motivation to get out to a fitness class four or five times a week. So an inexpensive and efficient alternative is, of course, exercise videos. There are thousands out there, but I recently came across a... Read more »
Growing Healthy Kids with Yoga, Pilates & Natural Nutrition
We all want our children to grow up happy and healthy. So it is truly frightening to discover that childhood obesity, attention deficit, hyperactivity and anxiety disorders are all on the rise in North America. However, if we introduce naturally... Read more »
I Hate Conflict
What do you do when your fifteen-year-old comes home with purple hair and a diamond stud in their nose; or for the third time in a week your boss has made some sarcastic remark about late reports; or when your significant other chooses to spend... Read more »
Remember Your Bones
“Support your bones … They support you.”
(Slogan from the Massachusetts Osteoporosis Awareness Program)
With more than 200 million people worldwide (1.4 million in Canada) suffering from osteoporosis or its precursor osteopenia, health... Read more »
The Secret Wisdom of a Woman’s Body
What your body wants (and needs) on both the emotional and physical level is a complex question to answer. However, Pat Samples, writer, speaker and transformational educator on conscious aging and body wisdom, tries to do just that in The Secret... Read more »
Quick Start Walking for Weight Loss (DVD)
The most effective, least expensive and easiest exercise to maintain fitness levels, get back on track after an injury, achieve weight loss, or to just begin an exercise program, is walking. According to the Mayo Clinic “brisk walking burns as... Read more »
Spring Training
“All parts of the body which have a function if used in moderation and exercised in labors in which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy, well developed and age more slowly, but if unused they become liable to disease, defective in growth... Read more »
Reversing Chronic Pain
As the song says, “sometimes in our lives we all have pain…” When we do, we just want it to go away, and fast; often resorting to drugs, alcohol or other unhealthy, counterproductive actions. In her most recent book, Reversing Chronic Pain,... Read more »
Five Good Minutes in Your Body
In their latest addition to the Five Good Minutes series of self-help books, entitled Five Good Minutes in Your Body, authors Jeffrey Brantley, a consulting associate in Duke University’s department of psychiatry, and Wendy Millstine, a certified... Read more »
Mystic Cool
The human brain is the most remarkable system in biology. Here, creative power is stored that has the ability to direct the most complex set of processes in the universe. It is evident that nature intended humans to be smart and adaptable.... Read more »
Anatomy of Exercise
When I teach fitness, I often tell my class that they should try to put their minds to their muscles — coaching them on how their muscles work before the participants actually work those muscles. Pat Manocchia’s Anatomy of Exercise fits perfectly... Read more »
JOINT STRATEGIES
Every year, thousands of people have some type of surgery performed on their hips or knees. In fact, statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicate that total hip and knee replacements increased from an estimated 31,500 in... Read more »
The Joy Factor – Ten Sacred Practices for Radiant Health
I was recently sent a copy of a very popular piece from newspaper columnist Regina Brett. Upon turning 90, she decided to once again share with her readers some of the lessons life had taught her. This column was a quick and easy read, including... Read more »
TRIGGER POINT THERAPY FOR LOW BACK PAIN: A SELF-TREATMENT WORKBOOK
Have you (or someone you know) had surgery that was supposed to cure all of your back problems, and yet you still suffer from back pain and diminished function? Perhaps the back problem was misdiagnosed (as many evidently are).
According to... Read more »
Healthy Expectations - Part One: Pregnancy Nutrition
The relationship between diet and health is a crucial one. This is particularly true during pregnancy as all the nutrients essential to healthy growth and development are passed on to the baby through the mother’s diet. For example, insufficient... Read more »
Healthy Expectations
Stress is a fact of life. However, too much stress during pregnancy, like poor nutrition, can have a detrimental effect not only on the mother, but on her unborn child as well.
Pregnancy adds another layer of stress on its own: worries about the... Read more »
Ultimate Body – Yoga Fitness (DVD)
Prefer a more energetic workout to begin your day? Yoga Fitness might be a perfect fit. This DVD is 80 minutes long, but is nicely divided to suit a variety of fitness levels, yoga experience and personal time constraints. Yoga Fitness Plus is 46... Read more »
A.M. Yoga (DVD)
If you are like most people, your mornings are hectic and stressful, made worse if you did not get enough sleep the night before. Feeling tired and tense before your day has even begun is counterproductive and unhealthy. But with effort and... Read more »
Banish Back Pain
“Oh my aching back,” are words that will cross the lips of four out of five people at least once in their lifetime. Other than cold and flu, back pain is the reason most cited for missed work and or visits to a health care practitioner. Back pain... Read more »
Building Bone Vitality
After seeing the results of my first bone mineral density test (BMD), my doctor suggested I increase my calcium intake. I followed her advice, but when I had my next BMD test the results were the same. If calcium wasn’t keeping my bones healthy,... Read more »
Looking for Answers Through the Art of Dowsing
In his book, Principles of Dowsing, Dennis Wheatley says “dowsing can be simply defined as a skill to detect invisible targets.” And Raymond C. Willey, one of the founders of the American Society of Dowsers, described dowsing as an “exercise of a... Read more »
Your Stomach
It has been estimated that almost half of all Americans experience heartburn and / or acid regurgitations at least once a week. The medical term for this is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) – a disorder affecting the valve between the... Read more »
The Little Book of Aromatherapy
Although the term ‘aromatherapy’ was only coined in the 1920s, the use of essential oils has been around for centuries. The ancient cultures of China and Egypt used aromatic plants for well-being. And it is believed that some perfumers in the... Read more »
The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process
Traumatized people feel fear, pain, isolation, helplessness, and depression. Unfortunately trauma, in some form or other, is an inevitable part of life. However, trauma specialist, David Berceli, believes its effects need not be a “life... Read more »
Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin
In the last decade or so, we have been led to believe that the sun is our enemy. But according to physician and complementary therapies specialist, Dr. Zoltan Rona, this sun phobia has created the very serious, potentially dangerous problem of... Read more »
Eating Animals
Having children, especially your first, impacts tremendously on one’s thinking, doing, and being. For author Jonathan Safran Foer, the birth of his first child led him to investigate (over a three-year period) the ethical, philosophical,... Read more »
Office Yoga (DVD)
If you happen to be one of the millions of people who has to commute long distances to work everyday, you are likely feeling stressed out and tense before you even get to the office, with stiff shoulders, sore back and neck, and a headache being... Read more »
Movement Therapy for Happy Hormones
My husband likes to tease me – calling me the “one degree woman” – hot one minute, cold the next; comfortable when the room temperature is 70ºF, but not at 69ºF (cold hands and feet). I could just be temperature temperamental; but it is possible... Read more »
