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ICE AND HEAT for Degenerative Disc Disease and Bone Spurs in the Neck

This chronic illness support blog is intended to help those of you with chronic illness. I am dealing with neck problems currently. To respond please email me at wholyfit@live.com

Ice for 15 off and 15 minutes on is great for inflamation and calms down the swelling between the vertebrae. I had to wake up in the night and ice my neck because I can feel that the spinal fluid is not getting up to my brain. My brain feels dry and cloudy- does that make sense? The bone spurs on C7 are cutting into the sac that the spinal fluid flows through- the MRI said that the sac is crimped right up to the spinal cord. No occlusion of the spinal chord - yet - but the occlusion needs to be halted NOW. That’s the benefit of decreasing the inflammation with ICE.

Heat is for the nuscles of the shoulders that become tight due to degenerative disc disease and bone spurs poking into the spinal chord and discs in the neck. We’ve got to release those muscles so that the curvature of the spine can go back to a healthy 36 degree curve. So simplistically, I use this rule: Ice for the bones (hard tissue), Heat for the muscles (soft tissue).

My husband is having dreams that I’m hurt and there is nothing he can do. For example, last night he dreamed that I was kidnapped. Chronic illness is also an emotional drain on those who love us.

Lord, please heal me, please educate me to cooperate in Your miraculous healing by whatever means You have detirmined. In Jesus’ Name.

I pray this prayer for all of you with chronic illness, whether it is neck pain, fibromyalgia, MS, Epstein Barre Virus, Asthma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Degenerative disc disease, bone spurs, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Lord, that You will heal those who are sick for “BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED”. You suffered and bore the stripes for our healing and we believe You Lord. Heal us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen but not goodbye..

Neck problems can be a life altering condition, but God can give us understanding on what to do to heal. God could certainly regenerate my spine to perfect condition in an instant, but then how would I learn to take care of my body? I have every confidence that He will heal me, but I also need to be a good steward of this temple.


OF FIRST IMPORTANCE TO SPINE HEALTH:

WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER!

6 bottles of water per day is my goal: at least 48 ounces. That means that I need to have hot herbal tea in my hand at all times. It’s so cold, maybe that’s why we don’t feel like drinking as much water in the winter.

Why did this acute pain start during the winter? Coincidence? I think not. Too much coffee, not enough water in cold weather, money issues that settled in the neck and to top it off no exercise during Holiday season= that’s a recipe for neck problems.

Why does deyhdration cause neck problems to worsen?

Because when the discs become dehydrated they shrink. I think I must have allowed my bones dry out! Not only that, but the spinal fluid needs to have enough water. My spine has bone spurs that poke into the discs and the sac around the spinal cord that contains the fluid. The flow is cut off to a certain degree in my spine and so it backs up at the top. That’s why I feel constant pressure behind my eyes, headache, face puffiness and brain cloudiness. More water will help this situation.

I can’t wait to begin exercising next week. The first thing we do when we don’t feel good and have no energy is to quit exercising- BUT THAT’S THE WORST THING WE COULD DO! Exercise helps control pain because it encourages endomorphins, natural pain killers and mood lifters! Also, even if you are struggling with chronic illness EXERCISE IS THE BEST THING WE COULD DO!

Exercise will help with circulation of all the fluids in the body, especially WholyFit exercise, because your body is turned in every position in gravity. Running and even walking is too jarring and biking is just not a good exercise position for me right now. WholyFit is perfect, making me concentrate on standing up tall for good posture, breathing and stretching.

SLOW WEIGHT LOSS AND EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR FITNESS DURING CHRONIC ILLNESS:
This is my program which is specifically geared toward relief of my degenerative disc disease, and loss of curve in the cervical spine accompanied by bone spurs in C4-C6.


(Please note that this blog is not meant to be prescriptive for any health condition. Check with your DR. before beginning any exercise program.)


WEEK 1
Drink 8 cups of water per day


WEEK 2
Start exercising 10-30 minutes every day


I am starting with drinking water because that’s an easy change and it will give me a week to plan how, when & where to exercise. Water is necessary for the chemical reactions that bring about burning fat for energy.


See how WholyFit is the exercise program for best weight loss results, especially for people with issues that prevent exercise like running or high impact activities. Note: THIS VIDEO SHOWS AN ADVANCED EXERCISE. I show this video to inspire for the long run. This is not an exercise to start with. I will be giving you more appropriate exercises beginning next week.



Thursday Feb. 5, 2010


Wow-it was harder than i thought to drink 8 glasses of water a day. i just succeeded for the first time today! Remember coffee and tea count as a negative 1 glass of water because caffeine is dehydrating. For every coffee or tea I have I need to drink one more glass of water.

Hi


Welcome to my personal (very personal…. yikes) blog documenting my progress through degenerative disc disease. I am a fitness professional with years of experience, but have been stopped lately by degeneration of the discs in my neck. Are you or someone you know suffering from chronic illness? Follow my blog to see how I lose weight and get in shape with WholyFit- prayer, worship and exercise that defeats chronic illness for wholeness of body, soul and spirit.


I was wondering why I didn’t feel like exercising - me - the one who always exercises to the point of annoyance to my friends and family! Now I’m so tired and depressed all the time from the constant annoying pain in my neck, the headache and swollen eyes.


So living with the constant nag of the pain causes me to want to eat gooey, yummy, bread-y food that gives me just a moment of comfort, a break from the ache. So here I am 15-20 pounds heavier and expending all that energy on dealing with the achiness makes me emotionally tired. I feel sad because I don’t feel like doing the exercises I enjoy so much and feel like I am losing a part of who I am. Even walking makes my neck tired. The constant gravity and weight of my head is the problem. A neck brace helps because it immobilizes the neck, but the answer has got to be exercise and stretching.


Can you identify? Do you have a condition that keeps you from exercising? We are going to overcome it together!

Thanks to one of our instructors, we have been made aware that Dahn Yoga has been exposed as a satanic cult. If you have been affected by Dahn Yoga (now called “Yoga Works”) there is a need for cleansing…yes even if you are a Christian. We are in a battle. We must put on the full armor of God. If you are a Christian, and especially if you are a Christian leader it is important that you completely disassociate yourself from the Yoga community, practices and philosophies in these Last Days. We don’t need anything Yoga has to offer. The Lord has given us WholyFit, an alternative that offers much more than Yoga ever could. Yoga is now aligning with the Kingdom of the AntiChrist. We followers of Jesus must align ourselves with the Kingdom of God who has been given eternal dominion forever and ever. Amen. News flash: the Antichrist will lose! Who will you serve?
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Read Ps 18. It is for you today. As you exit your association with Yoga, I suggest you pray the prayer below today because you need to make it clear to the Enemy that you are done with him. Remember that Satan hates you and is out to kill, steal and destroy. Be tough with him. Stand strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God. The book, “Spiritual Housecleaning” by Eddie and Alice Smith would be an encouragement to you.
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Here is the link
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830743812/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1572242396&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=004PFMB3F03VQKYSWDXT

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Prayer:
Lord, Jesus, we proclaim the following in Your Name because You have told us to take authority over the wicked powers of the spiritual realm in Your Name.
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Luke 10:19
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
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Declaration:
In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of His cross and Blood, we bind up the power of evil spirits from Dahn Yoga and command them not to block our prayers. We bind up the powers of earth, air, water, fire, the netherworld and the satanic forces of nature. We break any curses, hexes or spells sent against us and declare them null and void. We break all assignments of any evil spirits sent against us and send them to Jesus to deal with them as He will. Furthermore, we bind up, in Jesus’ Name, all interaction and communication in the world of evil spirits as Dahn Yoga has affected us, our families, relationships and our WholyFit ministry.
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Prayer:
Lord, We ask for the protection of the shed blood of Jesus Christ over our families and all those we hold dear. Lord, we ask you to bless those in Dahn Yoga by sending your Holy Spirit to lead them to repentance and conversion. Thank you, Lord, for Your mighty protection and send your angels to help us in the battle. We ask you to guide us in our prayers: Give us Your Spirit’s power, insight and compassion. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Love,
laura

Laura Monica, HFI ACSM, Founder/Executive Director WholyFit

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ORDER NEW DVDS NOW AND THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO BE MAILED OUT IN FEBRUARY!
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Finally! We worked and worked back and forth with the editor till the masters were perfect. We have toiled to make sure that these DVDs are of the highest professional quality possible for you and for the Lord Jesus Christ!
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In Jesus,
Laura
wholyFit @live.com
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Psalm 63 Routine in the New Video
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Ps 63 says “My soul longs for Thee. My body thirsts for thee in a dry and weary land where there is not water.” I long for that sanctuary to be planted in my heart. I feel that way almost all the time, trying to be satisfied with God and not being able to see Him or touch Him. Especially now that I am in between homes, moving to Canada, without my church family, I almost feel lost in the world. But this is a good place to be. All I have is the home of Jesus, in that special lonely wilderness place with Him. We should always be desperate for God and then He will satisfy us with Himself. This life is like being in a desert - a spiritual wasteland - so far from God. Sorrow and sadness and challenge and waste and pain…
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In the book, Hinds Feet on High Places, it says,
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“Cannot I do with you, Much-Afraid, as this potter? Behold, as the clay is in the hand of the potter so are you in my hand.’ (Jer 18:6) *
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But through Jesus we have access to God through the cross. We come to Him through His sacrifice for us, but even afterwards, we return to the cross over and over again, to be made new, to be made like Him in His death.
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In the Psalm 63 routine we did “Cruciform” position never knowing beforehand that there would be a huge stone cross that the camera men would be able to zoom to. The words that are cued are this: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me and the life I now live, i live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” This is a hard Scripture. What does it mean? Well i can say that I have learned something new about the cross, that it is here where we are remade. It is here where we die to live and where we are resurrected to new life. It is here where the seed of our natural desire for human love is buried as a sacrifice so that divine love can grow in its place. This is true satisfaction: God’s infinite love is so fulfilling that no other love comes close.
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“I’ll turn my hands upon thy heart,
And purge away thy dross,
I will refine thee in my fire
Remake thee at my cross *

cross

In the new videos, I am so grateful to be able to use the music from Seasons of Life by Inspire Life Productions. WholyFit is all about the music. As a worship leader for over 30 years, my desire is to bring what I call “The Music of Heaven” to earth. I look for a certain genre, a certain “sound” in music that I can’t explain but i know it when i hear it. - and whenever i hear music that I relate to as “The Music of Heaven” I make it a point to help others hear it. I call this “bringing the music of heaven to earth”. This is the kind of music I use for WholyFit.

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So the Seasons of Life music and the SlowFlo Music is not just background for our an exercise DVD, rather the music is the avenue that the Holy Spirit flows through to renew, restore and heal. Music reaches parts of our spirits that nothing else can. I chose each song specifically for each part of the WholyFit routines in the videos to go with the movements, mood, Scripture and worship expression. I asked the Lord to Himself choose each song. I believe He did because as you watch the video, the movements seem to have been choreographed to the music (even though all was independently created.)

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Why is the music so important to WholyFit?

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WholyFit Teachers use a soaking technique to help people with stress. We “soak” our class participants in Scripture, praise and worship while they exercise. We call it “washing in the Word”.

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As WholyFit participants exercise, teachers speak a “Scripture Script” over them for at least 6 weeks till the participants have memorized it and the Scripture has given them a revelation experience allowing them to apply it, “eat it” and assimilate it into their spirits. The Scripture renews their minds and because they are also moving to the Scripture, I feel the Scripture even gets into the very cells of their bodies and is physically healing. The exercises act out the Scriptures or express worship to God like worship dance.

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In the new DVDs we detirmined to limit the narration and emphasize the “Selah” pauses and the “soaking” of Scripture. In this way we emphasized Biblical meditation and the worship experience.

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Video 1: Basics
Scripture Scripts: Fruit of the Spirit, Living Sacrifice and Crucified with Christ.
HOPE CD was mostly used.

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In the soundtrack, there is exercise instruction narrated on top of the music as well as the Scriptures being spoken. It turned out beautifully.

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Video 2: Intermediate
Scipture Script: Psalm 63
PASSION CD was mostly used

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I had a problem in this video because the Scripture Scripts were really long. When the DVD was done, the overall effect was chaotic because I had chosen songs that were very strong to go with the theme of Ps 63 - the longing of the soul for God.

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So we went back and re-worked the narration and text.

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* I eliminated the written text on the screen that we usually have.
* I also eliminated the spoken Scripture Scripts because the teaching, spoken Scriptures and music competed.

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But what about the Scripture? I prayed and struggled. That’s when I started hearing - what we have come to call - “The Psalm 63 Angels.” I began “hearing” (in my spirit) the Scriptures coming right out of the music. I imagine that this is what the angels sing to this music. So….

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* Instead of speaking the Soaking Scripture, I sang it. You’ll hear what we have come to call “The Psalm 63 Angels” the first 17 minutes of the video singing the Scriptures in the background with the music.

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Singing the Scripture instead of narrating it gave a very unified, peaceful effect that is a wonderful soaking worship experience. When you hear it let me know what you think.

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I really feel that the music on these videos will bring people into a heavenly place of stress relief, and healing for mind, body and spirit through soaking worship and mediation on Scripture.

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In Jesus,
Laura

WholyFit is NOT YOGA

Wholyfit is NOT CHRISTIAN YOGA

A movie called “Yoga Uncoiled” has mistakenly lumped WholyFit in with Christian Yoga systems. WholyFit is NOT Christian Yoga. It is an alternative to Yoga. People need an exercise system they can practice INSTEAD OF Yoga. Yoga cannot possibly be Christian. That’s an oxymoron. WholyFit is an alternative to Yoga meant to REPLACE Yoga.

We at WholyFit do not teach Yoga and do not take Yoga trainings. We are not a part of the Yoga community. We are part of the Christian fitness community. WholyFit exists to combat the deceptions of Yoga but you can’t just tell people not to practice Yoga if you don’t give them an ALTERNATIVE. Christians don’t stop listening to music just because some music has bad lyrics, we listen to an alternative: we listen to christian music. We practice WholyFit INSTEAD OF Yoga.

We at WholyFit DO NOT practice traditional Yoga postures like the Ohm gesture, for example because it is an invitation to “Brahman to join with the soul”. We urge people to avoid these types of postures. We do not chant. We do not do Kriyas and we do not practice transcendental meditation.

However traditional yoga postures do include pushups, situps, lunges and seated twists. We do those poses and others because they are common to exercise. I also did them in classical dance, springboard diving, pilates and drill team. If christians were to eliminate all “Traditional Yoga Exercises” from every endeavor we wouldn’t be able to move. Yoga does not own human movement. We do. God has given it to us and we are reclaiming gentle stretching exercises for His glory.

The WholyFit system is a fusion system with original sequences that include many different exercises from pilates, ballet, gymnastics, even karate. All 4 of the founders of WholyFit come from a worship dance background. The names of our exercises are all original and based on Scripture verses that we memorize while practicing them. Our instructors promise not to teach Yoga and never call their classes yoga. We work to educate christians against syncretism.

I applaud Caryl Matrisciana’s passion and I am on her side- we agree with “Yoga Uncoiled” - that Yoga is not for Christians. It is unfortunate that there was not enough research done before the movie was published which unfairly criticizes WholyFit, a ministry that offers a solution to Christians who want to get out of and/or avoid yoga.

Please feel free to communicate with the author of Yoga Uncoiled about WholyFit, Caryl Matrisciana but do it respectfully, because she is a very nice person.

In Jesus
laura