For the last two years I have been unable to completely void my bladder. I spent the first year pretending it wasn’t happening and the second year trying to find an answer. Since one spends a considerable amount of time in the bathroom, it was a problem not easily forgotten. Until recently, it was all I could think about.

I turned fifty years old in 2008 and hit menopause with the common symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and my eyesight starting to fail. I asked myself if my bladder problem wasn’t just another glorious symptom of getting older, or, was something else going on.

I had mentioned my condition to my doctor during an annual check up. Actually, I think I mentioned it more than once. There seemed to be no urgency from my doctor that anything was wrong and it was somewhat passed off at my visit. I’m quite attuned to my body and knew something was not right.

I made another visit to the doctor and persisted that my bladder condition was now not just an annoyance but had become completely irritating. I thought to myself, if my bladder wasn’t functioning properly now, what was it going to be like at 60 or 70 years old. The thought, did not excite me.

My doctor suggested Kegel exercises, more sex and physical therapy, an ultrasound and medication for over active bladder. I told her I would take the prescription for the sex and not the medication since the urgency was not the problem. I scheduled the ultrasound, found information on the internet on bladder health, passed on physical therapy and hoped that I could find a sex partner to heal my bladder issue.

The ultrasound showed that I had no tumors or other terminal illnesses to worry about. I spent $1,500 on an ultrasound that told me I didn’t completely void my bladder. I asked the urologist “ what do I do now?”. She gave me medication for over active bladder and urgency but could give me no other information. I left the procedure feeling frustrated and confused. I lived with the problem for another year and the medications still sits on a shelf, unopened, in my bathroom.

I have a friend and colleague who is an acupuncturist, Christine Knight, that I trust completely. During a visit to her office I had mentioned my persistent bladder problem. She told me this was a common problem and easily addressed. Wow, somewhat more comforting than my previous experiences. She treated me with acupuncture and other suggestions for the health of my bladder, one being more sex. Was that all I needed to do to cure my bladder, more sex? I think not, but the thought of it was quite amusing and my search continued.

After several visits to see Christine, my condition was not getting better. I was done and wanted this problem over and under control. I knew it wasn’t going to be “over active bladder” medication or more Kegel exercises. Christine said to me “ ok, it’s time to see Dr. Li”. Dr. Li was a one of Christine’s teachers and mentors while she was studying at the College of Oriental Medicine . Doctor Li is a 30 year veteran of Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbalist. Christine said if anyone can help you, it’s Dr. Li. I was excited about finally getting to the bottom of my bladder problem and called Dr. Li upon leaving Christine’s office. I scheduled an appointment with Doctor Li the following week.

I had not planned on Dr. Li doing my acupuncture only my herbs. After her initial consultation and diagnosis I asked Dr. Li if she had time to do some needling.  I wanted to her to treat me. Doctor Li asked me very few questions, took my pulse, looked at my tongue and asked me about my stool and digestion. This was protocol for Chinese Medicine, pulse, tongue and stool. With those three vitals,  Dr. Li listed all the things that were giving me problems in about 3 minutes. She said “ You have swollen bladder, congested colon, can’t sleep, joint pain mostly on left side, you have ear condition and very sick.”  How did she know I have an ear condition!  I told her that I had Labrynthitis two years previous that left me with bouts of vertigo and I can’t turn my head to the left side without getting dizzy.  This was unbelievable, this women cracked the code in 3 minutes.

Dr. Li then escorted me to a treatment room and had me lay on the table. There was no changing to a robe, only that I took my shoes and socks off and pulled my shirt up. She put very few needles in me, less than the needling that I had received from Christine but much of the same. I love acupuncture and the way you can meditate while the needles are doing their thing but I felt like I was on the table forever. What was going on? Dr. Li returned to the room a few times to check on me and adjust the needles. She kept saying “ no Qi, you have no Qi, I can’t get any Qi “  Qi in Chinese medicine is the bodies life force, the energy that flows through the body, or the breath. It’s what gives us life.

Dr. Li said “ you are very weak on the left side of your body, can you stay longer ” I told her that I could stay for a bit more but needed to be on my way fairly soon. She then gave the needles a final adjustment. A serge ran through me that felt like my whole  body opened up, like there was more space or energy flowing. I believe that was the Qi she was looking for. I lay there for another fifteen minutes feeling like some life was moving through my body, I did seem to feel better. Dr. Li returned to the room and removed the needles. I put my shoes and socks on and went in to the waiting room to wait for my results.

Dr. Li told me that my bladder and colon were swollen and I had been sick for a long time. She assured me that this was a common problem and with time and the herbs, I would feel better and the health of my bladder would be restored. She told me stories of people that  had much worse symptoms than myself and with acupuncture, herbs and diet their conditions were resolved. She then blended my herbs to help with cleansing the digestive tract and another herb for sleeping.

Along with Dr. Li’s herbal cocktail she provided me with a list of dietary restrictions to help the digestive system and reduce the swelling that I had in my abdomen. Her list was a bit overwhelming and went like this: no wheat, dairy, sugar, soy, beans, nuts, no  popcorn, crackers, coffee, chocolate, gluten or fried food.  I said to her “ what can I eat?”. There was a young man in the waiting room that started to laugh. I turned and looked at him and he just smiled at me. I left Dr. Li’s office with herbs in hand and went off to the grocery store to get my medicine.

Many years ago I had done a cleanse so I was somewhat familiar with how I felt after removing wheat, dairy and sugar from my diet. Coincidently, I had just watch a TED lecture on the Paleo Diet and longevity. I knew that by not eating these three things that my body worked better and I felt healthier. In years previous, I suffered from chronic yeast infections, ear infections and felt “sick” a lot. I found that removing dairy from my diet reduced the infections, cleared my skin up and got rid of that “sick” feeling. To this day I still do not eat dairy products and I know it has made a huge difference in my overall health.

I was now ready to take on the project of cleaning up my diet, drinking my herbs and restoring my health. I thought my current diet was pretty good but I do admit I love good beer, a bag of Kettle chips and Mexican food.  For me, feeling better trumped the bag of Kettle chips and I was determined to get better.

One Month Later:

My refrigerator is now full with dark green vegetables, kale, swiss chard and leafy greens, fresh eggs, fruit and other colorful vegetables. I eat grass fed meats, fish and chicken. Quinoa is a staple instead of rice, a grain that is high in protein.  I eat yams and  root vegetables. I season food with garlic, onions and a little salt and pepper. Lucky for me I live in a city that has two of the most beautiful health food grocery stores and a community culture that caters to the gluten free gal. I now find it fun and challenging  to see how many colors I can put on a plate of food. I’ve lost 10 lbs. and the swelling in my abdomen has been reduced and my body feels like it’s working better.

I feel like I’ve gained more than I’ve given up. I feel healthier, lighter and more in control of my own health and that, is the best part of all.

[ NOTE: This article was originally published at TangoMercurio.org in February 2011. ]

By Laurie Ann Greenberg

As dancers, it’s important to keep mind, body and spirit, healthy and in harmony. Massage is a natural compliment to the dancers health and well being. Massage can help keep our bodies toned, relaxed, and nurtured. Thai massage, in particular, is an excellent massage modality for the dancer on many levels. It not only addresses the health of the muscle, as in Swedish or Deep Tissue, but pays close attention to the flexibility and opening of the joints like no other. And, as a dancer, it’s important to keep the body flexible for ease of movement.

The meeting of these two disciplines brings together the perfect blend of dance, connection, health, and movement. Tango and Thai massage in their simplest forms share a meditative , mind-body experience. We yearn to heal through the touch of another human being. Tango and Thai massage reinforces our basic need for touch, that is the human experience.

We come to tango for the dance and a deep connection with another human being. We want to dance, move, surrender our bodies, and open our hearts to deepen this connection. In Thai massage, as the practitioner, we dance with another to open the energies of the body. As a tango dancer, when we allow ourselves to surrender to the benefits of Thai massage, the ability to connect at a deeper level with another person while dancing is much more intense and accessible. This is the very thing we crave and desire in tango. The connection to our body and spirit is vital to the dance.

When we compare Tango to Thai massage we see history, a blending of cultures, tradition and an art form. Though tango may not be as old as Thai Massage, it still has a long lineage, beautiful rich history and a spirit of connection between two people. It seems unlikely that these two forms have anything in common but the more we learn about both, they seem to be the perfect match for our body, mind and spirit.

Thai massage is over a thousand years old and was developed by the doctor and personal assistant to the Buddha. His name was Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha and the massage technique is called naud buran. It is a gift of loving kindness that draws from the teachings of ayurveda, yoga, and Buddhism. Thai massage is a living, breathing art form that has been passed down from generation to generation and continues to evolve and travel the globe as more people discover its many benefits.

On a physical level, Thai massage addresses the feet, legs and hips very deeply. This work is essential to the dancer. The deep work on the feet and ankles is the foundation needed to support us on the dance floor. Thai massage also opens the hips and pelvis, leaving the tango dancer with more freedom to move. Thai massage works the spine allowing the body more mobility to twist and turn. Having more freedom in the spine allows for the torsion needed in executing the turns in tango.

Thai massage helps to detoxify the body and boost the immune system, increase blood circulation which improves function of internal organs, breathing, posture, balance and body alignment. It can help tone the body and strengthen the joints. Thai massage also helps fight disease and chronic pain and slows the aging process. Tango, we might say, does the same.

On a spiritual level, Thai massage helps reduce stress, develops self-discipline, and increases health and vitality. It can give us inner strength, make us happy, and joyful. For mental health, Thai massage improves our outlook on life, improves emotional balance, clears and calms the mind and gives us mental clarity. These benefits are as healing to the giver as the receiver.

In my own Thai massage practice, I love working with tango dancers. They come to a session with an open mind and heart, better able to receive the work. The tango dancer is more present, with little or no resistance, void of anticipating what’s coming next. They invite the dance, and the connection is there waiting to receive, explore, and heal the body. As the awareness grows, this tango Thai massage connection leads to even more possibilities. I invite you to explore these two disciplines which share a deep spirit of working together, creating a perfect match.

About the Author
Laurie Ann Greenberg LMT is a Thai Massage Therapist and Tango Dancer in Portland, Oregon.

© 2011. Laurie Ann Greenberg. ARR.

I recently took a tango class that got me thinking a new way about an old subject. The class was an “advanced walking class” and taught by my friend and fellow tango dancer Felipe Martinez. He approached the subject of posture and alignment from the head down to your feet.  Weeks later, I’m still thinking about the class and my posture.

I’ve been walking on my own for a long time, and dancing tango for more than a decade.  While dancing, I mostly focus my attention on the floor, my feet and feeling “grounded”.  I have taken dozens of classes on this subject, but most recently, I find myself thinking about my posture and alignment with my head first.

Good posture is the way in which we hold our bodies, against gravity, where there is the least amount of strain on joints and ligaments. Good posture gives support to muscles and ligaments during weight bearing movements like walking and dancing tango. There are many reasons to have good posture:

• Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.
• Helps decrease wear and tear on joint surfaces.
• Decreases stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together.
• Prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions.
• Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy.
• Prevents strain or overuse problems.
• Prevents backache and muscular pain.
• Contributes to a healthy appearance.

I asked Felipe why he approached the class this way.  He told me that he had briefly done an exchange with a women that taught Alexander Technique, a method that coordinates breath, posture and alignment.  He liked the idea of  “freeing the neck”, having your head buoyant and feeling the release of the whole structure seemed to work for him. Visualizing “space” inside the joints is another image he used.

I like the use of imagery, visualizing the bones, muscles and what’s going on inside.  If  I think about the whole structure and finding the “space” in side the joints, I think of that skeleton from anatomy class hanging from a rack. I can see and feel the “space”.

If I continuing down the body with this imagery I imagine space between head and shoulders by relaxing the shoulders. Next, the arms resting in their sockets. The chest, rising and falling as I breath, in and out. The pelvis is like a ship, moving through water, staying level as we walk or dance. I imagine the legs as poles beneath the ship, pushing the ship and keeping it level. My feet are soft, free and malleable and I adapt to the floor below.

When we finally arrive to the floor in deconstructing our posture. Felipe described the feeling of being like a plant, well rooted, grounded and shooting energy up to the sky while being flexible.  I like this way of thinking about the posture and alignment from the top down.  Once again, having taken dozens of classes on the subject of posture and alignment, I am continually amazed and humbled that our posture is infinitely refine-able.

note: the phrase infinitely refine-able was a term used by Bill Alsup to describe the tango walk and I borrowed it for this article