YOUR HEALING KNEADSFebruary 2015

Continued on page 2

Spotting Skin Conditions

John Otrompke

Your therapist is in a unique position to identify skin conditions.

Discipline isthe bridgebetween goalsandaccomplishment.-Jim Rohn

Office Hours and Contact

Knead For Healing Therapeutic MassageBarbara Khan, LMT602-326-0422 Sunday-Thursday by appointmentwww.kneadforhealing.massagetherapy.com

In this Issue

Spotting Skin ConditionsWhat is Qi?Yogurt, the Super Food

Being aware of the first signs of skinconditions will help you know when it'stime to visit a doctor. Here is a shortrefresher on five of the most importantsigns you might see.

1. Butterfly RashThis is a facial rash characterized by itsshape: the middle part of the butterfly ison the bridge of the nose, with "wings"extending onto the cheeks. "It cansignify a range of diseases, from milderconditions like rosacea, significant acne,eczema, and psoriasis, all the way toserious autoimmune connective tissuedisorders such as lupus," says JosephJorizzo, MD, professor and foundingchair of the dermatology department atthe Wake Forest University School of

Medicine in Salem, North Carolina.

2. Infections"Look for any sign of infection, such asa cold sore, which is characterized by apainful bump or blister on the face ornose," says Jill Weinstein, MD, clinicalinstructor of dermatology atNorthwestern University in Chicago."This may be caused by herpes simplex."

Both viral and bacterial infections mayappear as pustules, or tender lesions.They can sometimes look like acne, butmay also be bigger or more isolated thana pimple, Weinstein says.

3. Patchy HairBe alert for round, patchy areas of hairloss, which can be a sign of anautoimmune disease called alopeciaareata, Jorizzo says. "Alopecia isassociated with thyroid disease, but itcan also be upsetting to the patient inand of itself," Jorizzo explains."Prognosis is very good if there is justone little circle, but if they lose theireyebrows or eyelashes, or if it goesaround the bottom of the scalp, thecondition is likely to be more chronic."

4. Symptoms on the NailsNails may also offer evidence of amedical condition. "Signs on the nailsinclude a condition called clubbing,where there's body under the cuticle thatchanges the angle of the nail, so that it'slike an upside down V," Jorizzo says.Clubbing is sometimes accompanied by

A possible skin cancer mole.

Continued from page 1

edema, and the cuticle area may feel wet.It can be a symptom of several lungconditions, ranging from chronicbronchitis to lung cancer.Pits in the nails can be a sign of arthritisor psoriasis. Pits resemble a mere dent,perhaps 1 millimeter across. Jorizzoexplains, "In psoriasis, the outer layersof skin turn over very quickly, and whenthey come from under the cuticle, littlepatches fall off, so you get a pit."Finally, a single dark black streak in thenail that comes up on to the cuticle canbe a sign of melanoma.

5. Skin CancerThe most common source of skin cancerdeaths is melanoma, which may beidentified using the ABCDE criteria:Asymmetry. The mole is an unusualshape, not round.Border Irregularity. The edges of themole may be jagged, scalloped, or wavy,or very sharp in one area.Color. The mole shows variation incolor from one area to another. Theremay be multiple shades of tan, brown,black, white, blue, or red.Diameter. The mole is greater than 6millimeters in diameter.Evolving. The mole is new, or anexisting mole has changed in size, shape,or color.

A more informal method of spotting asuspicious mole is called the UglyDuckling Test: when a mole just seemsto catch your attention for some reason."The classic example is when someonehas one thing on them that just doesn'tlook like any other spot on their body,"explains Elizabeth Quigley, MD, aphysician in the dermatology service atMemorial Sloan Kettering CancerCenter in New Jersey. "Let's say theyhave many black moles, but one brownmole. Or most of their moles are roundand small, but they have one that is bigand a different shape. That should beevaluated by a physician."

The most common form of skin canceris basal cell carcinoma. There are alsosome less common varieties that havedifferent symptoms. "Basal cellcarcinoma often presents in the form ofshiny or pearly bumps, which patientsthink are pimples," says Quigley. If thelesion has been there for six months,and sometimes bleeds, that's a warningsign that it is not a pimple.Squamous cell carcinoma, responsible

for about 20 percent of all skin cancerdeaths, has symptoms that are quitedifferent from those of melanoma."Squamous cell carcinoma can presentas firm bumps, scaly patches, or ulcersthat don't get better. The skin is red andthe scale is the kind that doesn't go awaywith moisturizer," Quigley says. "It'sdifferent from just dry skin, and thescale is usually thicker." She sayssquamous cells don't rub off like normaldry skin, and the scaly patch may bleed ifit is removed by pulling or picking.Keep in mind that these are onlyguidelines, and you should have anyconcerns checked out by a qualifiedhealth-care professional. Knowing thewarning signs can be valuable, butnothing replaces a doctor's expertise.

John Otrompke is a health-care writer andconsultant.

Keeping qi in balance.

What is Qi?

Yogurt, the Super FoodBalance Digestion, Improve Immunity, and Prevent Disease

A fundamental concept of traditionalChinese medicine (TCM) dating backover 3,000 years, qi (pronounced"chee") is the Chinese word for energy,which also carries with it connotationsof air, breath, and life force.

In TCM, it is understood thateverything from humans and animals torocks and trees is filled with qi. Thisenergy facilitates function,communication, and connection and isthe uniting force of the universe, as wellas the animating life force in all objects.

Qi in the BodyQi flows through the body via 14meridian channels, which run either upor down throughout the body alongspecific pathways. These pathways deliverenergy to organs, structures, and systemsin a constant pattern, and when qi isflowing unimpeded along thesemeridians, a person is said to be inbalance.

Illness, injury, stress, and other trauma

can cause blockages along thesemeridians, thus impairing or stoppingthe flow of qi and resulting in energycongestion. Several TCM techniques aredesigned to clear these blockages andrestore balance and flow to the body'senergy.

Working with QiAlong each meridian are points, knownas acupoints or pressure points, wherethese energy blockages are likely tooccur. Significant acupoints are alsoknown as trigger points, and these areoften starting points for therapistsworking to clear congested qi.

An important principle of qi is thatclearing blockages at certain triggerpoints will help restore flow and thusimpact parts of the body that areconnected along the various meridians.For example, this could mean thatworking on someone's foot mightbenefit an internal organ like the liver,or benefit his or her heart. This conceptfurther illustrates that qi in the body is

one balanced system in which oneimbalance can affect several body partsand even alter emotional states.

In some form, yogurt has existed since atleast 2000 BCE, and many foodhistorians believe it predates recordedhistory, possibly going back as far as9000 BCE Why such staying power? Abit of a wonder food, yogurt improvesdigestion, which can boost immunityand even help prevent colon cancer.One dairy product even most lactoseintolerant people can eat, yogurt isloaded with active bacterial cultures, thekey ingredients that make it so healthy.

While we typically think of bacteria asdangerous bugs that cause disease andinfection, the body is host to billions ofbacteria that live in the intestines andhelp digest the foods we eat. These goodbacteria, or microflora, actually fight offthe bad bacteria that cause illness.

Some of these same good bacterial

species are used to ferment milk, and it'sthese cultures that give yogurt its textureand tart flavor. They also process muchof the milk sugar, called lactose, duringfermentation, which is why yogurtusually doesn't bother people withlactose intolerance.

Eating yogurt helps maintain themicroflora in the gut, optimizingdigestion and keeping harmful bacteriain check. Ever noticed how a course ofantibiotics is often followed by a bout ofdiarrhea? This is because antibiotics killoff all the bacteria in the gut--the badstuff and the good--leaving thegastrointestinal tract compromised.Fortunately, yogurt can help counteractthis imbalance.

Furthermore, this food is a good sourceof nutrients, including B vitamins,

calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.Whole milk yogurt also containsconjugated linoleic acid (CLA), anessential fatty acid with cancer fightingproperties, especially beneficial inpreventing breast and colon cancers.And CLA has been shown to increase fatmetabolism, helping the body convertfat to lean muscle.

Maintaining the good bacteria in thegastrointestinal tract is key to healthydigestion, and eating quality yogurt is agreat way to do this. Be sure to read thelabels and choose varieties that containlive active cultures to ensure you'regetting the most from your yogurt.

It does notmatter howslowly you go aslong as you donot stop.-Confucius

KNEAD FOR HEALING THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE2740 N 21st Drive Phoenix, AZ 85009Encanto Park Area

Directions: 19th Avenue & Thomas, West on Thomas to 21stDrive, South to 2740 (2nd house on right).

Hours on Sunday-ThursdayBy appointment-call 602-326-0422 Email: barb.khan@cox.net Website: www.kneadforhealing.massagetherapy.com

BARBARA KHAN, LMT Licensed in the State of Arizona

60 Minute Session $60 90 Minute Session $85

Aromatherapy or any add-on service included. See websitefor details.

Cash/Visa/MasterCard/Amex/Discover

Knead For Healing Therapeutic Massage

2740 N 21st DrivePhoenix, AZ 85009