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5 Things to Understand About Functional Nutrition

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC December 9, 2021 Functional Nutrition, Rolfing Session

“Health is Wealth.” I’ve always liked that quote because it’s true. As a Rolfer, and now as a certified Functional Nutrition Counselor, I’m really internalizing the concept. And a number of my Rolfing clients are asking a lot of questions about Functional Nutrition and want to dive in (thank you!). Let’s explore some of the essential framework, in hopes of driving more conversations with you – and potentially, counseling sessions in addition to our Rolfing work together.

First, know that your story is original. Unique. How you’ve come to feel the way you do, whether occasionally not-so-good or perpetually not-well, happened over time. As a different way of approaching healthcare, Functional Nutrition looks at the whole you. How you got where you are, and the way your body has responded. After all, we are not statistics – our thyroid number or blood count or cholesterol and so forth do not define our overall health. My job? To help uncover the source(s) of your dis-ease or illness. Of course, you have good ideas about that, but some things can hide from you, even in your own body. We’ll discover the root of the issue together.

As a different way of approaching healthcare, Functional Nutrition looks at the whole you.

Secondly, there is no magic pill. Would that there were! But only treating the symptom, or even an overarching symptom, dismisses the complexity of whatever health challenge you’re experiencing. Working with me as your Functional Nutrition Counselor will be a steady path, a process vs a cookie-cutter diagnosis. This goes back to #1: your story is original.

Thirdly, framework beats out formula every time. Again, because your story is unique, we need to understand the history and physiology that is yours alone. The functional nutrition framework hangs on a detailed intake form and associated tools that help draw the picture of your specific situation. We meet, discuss the answers, delve deeply into the why, where, when, and how, and then create an accurate representation.

Now, we examine the evidence. Not the typically touted evidence that’s based on what works for 80% of the population, but your evidence in your situation. For instance, almond butter upsets your stomach but every single dietary formula you’ve ever followed says it’s great. But it’s not for you. We’ll look at the evidence and its answers that help map your personal path to whole health.

Lastly, ideal health is not a fixed situation. You don’t reach it and just hang out there. (Although that would be way cool.) We’re all constantly responding to our situation. One day our life is cruising along, minimal bumps, feeling healthy, steady, and good. The day after, not so much. Health, like life, is dynamic. It changes all the time – and that’s a good thing! In Functional Medicine, this natural phenomena is known homeodynamics, our ongoing response to food, rest, and physiological changes (hormones, etc.).

Essentially, Functional Medicine is specific to you.

It’s a personalized, holistic approach. Unlike traditional Western medicine, it’s not an A-to-B quick fix, but a deeper dive into your needs. As your Functional Nutrition Counselor, I’ll uncover and help to resolve your chronic illness much like as your Rolfer, I uncover and resolve your pain source.

Christopher Horan is a Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor (CFNC) through the Functional Nutrition Alliance, as well as a longtime Certified Rolfer. His practice offices are in Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington.

Source: paraphrased from Functional Nutrition 101 by Andrea Nakayama, FNLP, MSN, CNC, CNE, CHHC, founder of the Functional Nutrition Alliance.

What’s Next at Horan Rolfing? Pairing Full Body Systems Health & Pain-Free Movement

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC July 22, 2021 Rolfing Session

Functional Nutrition: It’s the next big thing for my practice. If you’re a Horan Rolfing client, over time we’ve probably talked about the right way to exercise (especially when trying to recover from an injury) and gut health. Hang out with me enough and you’ll quickly realize that overall health and healing is my passion. Building our natural immunity, understanding the power of our gut, the microbiome; these types of topics got me interested in functional nutrition.

What do you know about functional nutrition?

If you’ve been listening to buzz about the science behind functional nutrition, you may be familiar with the concept. The idea that to change your health for the better, you have to understand why you don’t feel your best today. It’s not all that different an approach than the one I take in Rolfing, that the symptom may not be the source of the problem, but it can help us find it.

Full body systems health is invaluable.

Functional nutrition’s goal is to not only help others get healthy, but also to teach them how to stay healthy. The idea is that you work directly with a Functional Nutrition Counselor – that’s me by year end – to determine what’s going on with your body, and how together, we can bring you to optimal health.

Why am I pursuing certification as a Functional Nutrition Counselor through the Functional Nutrition Alliance?

If 2020 convinced me of nothing else, it’s that overall health – mind and body – is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. Full body systems health is invaluable. Combine systems health and pain-free movement? We have a winner!

Rolfing Structural Integration helped me heal from injury and inspired me to become a Certified Rolfer. I believe melding Rolfing with the practical health approach of Functional Nutrition will give my clients a clear path to whole-body health and pain-free living. In the meantime, Rolfing remains center stage, with Full Body Systems waiting in the wings.

Helping your body function at its level best is a goal worth working toward. It’s the whole reason I’m committed to the program.

Christopher Horan is a Certified Rolfer passionate about his clients’ overall health and wellness. You can schedule your pain-relieving Rolfing session at either his Tacoma and Bellevue, WA practice locations using the website scheduling calendar.

Rolfing’s Holistic Approach: Optimal for Pain Relief & Body Maintenance

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC April 27, 2021 How Rolfing Works, Rolfing Session

If the pain is gone, why keep up Rolfing treatments?

Rolfing is a holistic approach to bodywork. It’s not only a treatment for pain relief, it’s also a whole-body method that restores balance. If you’re interested in not just treating the symptoms, but the cause, then consider that Rolfing may need to be part of your body’s “health maintenance” plan.

Think about the whole-body connection. Something going on in your foot can give you shoulder pain. Why? Because your body’s musculature, connective tissues, and nerves don’t exist in silos. Everything is connected. That’s not to say you don’t celebrate the pain going away! Just be aware that unless the underlying causes are treated and resolved, symptoms return.

Holism: (from the Greek term holos “all, whole, entire”) is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts.
– Wikipedia

Rolfing looks at the holistic picture.

You likely called me because you want to get rid of pain. And I became a Certified Rolfer to help people recover from pain. But it’s essential that we get your body back into overall alignment, not just chase pain symptoms. That’s why I try to remind my clients that no one can “heal” your body for you. Your body – if it’s in a healthier state – heals itself. My goal is to help your body get to the point that its natural healing capabilities kick in.

When I look at your body’s problems, I look at the whole body. That’s what Rolfing is all about. Yes, pain is how our bodies tell us something is wrong. What pain isn’t so great at telling us is the issue, or source, of the discomfort. The jammed big toe that “heals” can still throw off your gait enough to cause low back pain. Those painful bunions? Blame your abdominal organs as much as you do bad shoe choices. Yep, sounds nuts but it’s true.

So, when you begin a Rolfing series with me, know that we’re going to look at your situation holistically. That’s what Rolfing structural integration is meant to do, not only to look at where changes can be made but also how your life-use of your mind/body could be causing or exacerbating discomfort. After all, you want permanent healing, and that’s what I want for you, too.

To get a holistic view of what’s going on with your body, and get to the root of pain, contact Christopher via his website or simply schedule your Rolfing session with him directly here.

Fingers tingle or go numb? May (or may not) be Carpal Tunnel.

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC March 25, 2021 Nerve Pain

Think you have CTS? (Carpal Tunnel)

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) tends to be the go-to self-diagnosis for anyone who’s feeling persistent pain, tingling, or numbness in their fingers. That’s unsurprising when you consider all of the attention on ergonomics, pain from bad computing habits, and so on. A true carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis is a little more specific because it has to do with the median nerve.

Your median nerve is also called the “laborer’s nerve.” While it’s only one of three main nerves that send and receive information up and down your arms, it’s the main nerve for the front of your forearm. You may assume that because you do a lot of repetitive motion at work, you’re suffering from CTS. While that can be the case, CTS can stem from many causes: oral contraceptives, hypothyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, trauma, obesity, and lipomas.

Median Nerve Compression

What’s happening is that that median nerve is being compressed right at the wrist, causing disease or damage. Think about all the nerves that have to get down to your fingers – all go through the “tunnel” of your wrist (carpal) bones. You’ll notice numbness, pain, and tingling in your fingers and thumbs and think,

“Oh, I must have carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Oddly enough, when I go through the diagnostic process before we dive into a Rolfing treatment program, I discover that all the issues are actually happening in areas not fed by the median nerve, but others.

They’re surprised to learn that the nerve entrapment most people believe to be CTS is actually coming from much further up the arm. It can even be from nerves weaving their way through the collarbone on the way to our necks, the most common place nerves get entrapped.

Right now, so many people have been in unusual work-from-home setups that I’m seeing more nerve compression and muscle issues than I have in a while. Carpal tunnel is a really familiar term to most people, so when I get a call saying, “My CTS is acting up” I’m not immediately going to suggest anything that’s specific to CTS. Because it may or may not be carpal tunnel.

Are you wondering now just what that pins-and-needles or numbness is? Let’s schedule a Rolfing appointment either in Tacoma or Bellevue so we can find the real culprit and get you moving freely again.

What can Rolfing do for a pulled muscle?

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC November 12, 2020 Rolfing Session, Rolfing Tips

How do your muscles get pulled in the first place? Muscle fibers stretch too far past normal working length, tearing muscle fibers. That causes what we’re most familiar with as a “pulled muscle.” It can be severe enough to keep you from working out like usual for weeks at a time. Let’s talk about recovery and Rolfing – because you definitely want to recover properly to get back to 100%.

How can Rolfing help you recover from pulled muscles?’

Usually, the first thing we want to do is try to stretch it out. The assumption is that we pulled it because it was too short. Here’s where understanding how one part of the body’s musculature and myofascial affect another part is so important.

For example, did you know a pulled hamstring may not have anything to do with your hamstring being short? Yep. It could be that a short quadricep is pulling your pelvis into a front tilt. Because your hamstrings attach to the back of your pelvis, your hamstring is actually being pulled too long! That means the last thing you want to do is stretch your hamstrings. Instead, you need to stretch – or lengthen – your quads.

Other reasons for pulled muscles: Poor habits & dehydration.

You may be thinking, “How could my quads get too short?” It all depends on how you’re using your body, from how you sit to how you work out. If an injury or a bad habit makes your muscles misfire – the sequence is off – then it’s a lot easier to pull a muscle.

Another reason for a pulled muscle is dehydration. You’d be amazed at how much it matters to your muscles that you’re well-hydrated, because there’s simply no elasticity in dehydrated soft tissue. Here, test yourself:

Pinch the skin right behind any knuckle on your hand. Did it flatten out right away? Excellent. Way to keep hydrated. Did it stay pinched for any time at all? You’re dehydrated – drink water now!

Remember, as little as 2% dehydration affects your mental alertness and physical performance. Get into the habit of checking your non-diuretic fluid intake. Caffeinated coffee, sodas, even green tea, causes more frequent urination. If you’re not balancing that out with healthy hydration, you’re placing your muscles – and your mind – at a disadvantage.

We’ll explore all possible reasons for your muscle pain during your initial examination when I evaluate your body mechanics. Our Rolfing sessions together are focused on getting your body – and how you use it – back into balance for the long term. That often means creating new habits and patterns. Let’s get started!

At Horan Rolfing, my goal is to help you move pain-free again. We’ll work together to restore your body’s ease, balance, and strength. Schedule a Rolfing appointment with me in the Tacoma location of Horan Rolfing or in the Bellevue office.

Got a Pain in the Butt? Could be Sciatica.

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC October 20, 2020 Rolfing Tips

It’s true – you’d be surprised at the number of Rolfing clients who walk in and point to their butt, complaining of sciatica. My first step is to determine through diagnostics which nerves are causing problems, like if the visceral system is even involved.

Here’s what happens with sciatica. The sciatic nerve (root of sciatica) begins in L4 – S3 (L meaning Lumbar vertebra and S meaning Sacral segments) and goes down the back of your leg, continuing into your feet. If that nerve is “pinched” anywhere along the line, you’ll feel pain. It can cause issues walking, standing, lying down – in fact, sciatic nerve inflammation can be a pretty miserable situation.

Nerves can be tricky. They talk a lot amongst themselves, sharing irritation. They’re reliable in that you know when something hurts. Yet getting specifics on where the hurt begins isn’t always as obvious. One compressed nerve tells all the connected nerves, then the brain, that things aren’t right. Well, then the brain gets involved and suddenly you feel like lots of areas are inflamed. Say, for instance, your toe hurts. That doesn’t necessarily mean your toe is injured, just that the nerves in your toe feel pain. The origination point could be somewhere way up the line.

I’m 2/3 the way through the series with Mr. Horan and it’s been incredible to see my posture improve and my long-time sciatica go away completely. – M. Fish, Horan Rolfing Client

What happens when you tell me, “I think I have sciatica.”

I’m going to look at the potential sciatic nerve compression points – spinal, muscular and organ. This is why the ability to discover the start of your discomfort is so important to resolving it. Every potential cause needs assessment. If you have damage to an intervertebral disc in the spine, protrusion into the nerve area can irritate the sciatic nerve. Or say the nerve is perfectly fine in the spine, but then the rectum or the sigmoid colon (both organs that sit right in front of it) compress the nerve causing pain. Then there’s the deeply seated piriformis muscle, a common source of sciatic nerve pain, tingling, or even numbness that runs down the leg or into the foot, as in piriformis syndrome.

As a Certified Rolfer, my aim is to 1) diagnose the actual pain source, and 2) free up the affected structures. Here’s also where balance is so important to the surrounding areas. It may call for evaluation of your movement patterns. It’s common for habits in gait, stance, or sitting to affect our bodies. Exercise routines could be exacerbating an issue. We’ll look at how retraining those habits or adjusting routines could help.

Christopher Horan’s Rolfing therapies help alleviate issues from sciatica. His mission is to help restore freedom of movement without pain. You can schedule a Rolfing appointment with him in Horan Rolfing’s Tacoma or Bellevue office. Sciatic nerve pain relief is only a call away!

Does Rolfing Hurt?

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC August 28, 2020 General, How Rolfing Works

No, Rolfing does not hurt you, at least it doesn’t when I do it. You may have heard that Rolfing® Structural Integration is painful. It doesn’t need to be. Yes, I’m pushing your system so we can help your body change, but the more you relax, focus on what the sensations tell you, the more receptive to change your body will be.

In my experience, results come more productively when I work with your nervous system. I believe that positive body change is more likely to happen that way than if I work tissue while completely disregarding your comfort level.

Rolfing executed too deeply, too fast can cause your system to tense up.

That’s your body’s natural response as it tries to protect itself. I don’t want to fight against bodily instincts, but to work at a level that keeps you relaxed on the table, working with me.

My clients typically report Rolfing as feeling like a satisfying deep pressure or a really nice deep stretch.

Every session is a little different. There’s a broad spectrum of what you can expect or will feel. For instance, if the pain source is an organ or entrapped nerves, the work feels incredibly gentle. Resistance usually surfaces when we’re trying to change entrenched patterns, like compensating from longtime pain or an injury. Or even correcting bad posture. Tissue “pushes back” vs simply accepting change.

That’s why I encourage communication throughout every Rolfing session.

Everyone has a different level of sensitivity. Is the manipulation too intense? Let me know. I do not take offense at your feedback about your body. Persistence is necessary, but not at the cost of progress or comfort.

It’s true that there are practitioners who tend to work from a “no pain, no gain” perspective. That works for some. Personalities and beliefs differ. All Rolfers go through essentially the same training yet each of us develops our own approach to Rolfing. You’ll want to choose the Certified Rolfer who most aligns with your needs and personality.

At Horan Rolfing, my sole aim is to restore your body’s ease, balance, and strength. To help you move pain-free again. You can schedule a Rolfing appointment with me in the Tacoma location of Horan Rolfing or in the Bellevue office.

Do you have “good posture”? Does it matter?

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC August 14, 2020 Neck Pain, Rolfing Tips, Shoulder Pain

How important is good posture to your body, really? Some people believe that if you don’t have great postural habits, then you’re always going to hurt. Yet there are some people who slouch through life with little to no pain.

What healthy or good posture does is help in our fight against gravity. Here’s how.

The head is heavy. If it’s lined up correctly, your neck and shoulder muscles can work as they should; if not, you get a tight neck, tight shoulders, and eventual pain.

What’s the proper position for healthy posture? Your ears should line up with your mid-shoulder, as viewed from the side. That places your head and torso in proper position to support your head’s weight. Then your neck muscles can perform as designed, stabilizing and mobilizing to let you easily turn your head, nod, etc. That’s “good posture.”

Posture vs Gravity

What happens when your head is out of position, or “turtled” forward? Tight neck and shoulders, leading to pain. Those back-of-neck and shoulder muscles weren’t designed for that kind of counterbalance. When your positioning is off kilter, the muscles are literally fighting gravity all day long. They over-contract, can’t work as designed, meaning you can’t rotate and extend your head without pain or limited range-of-motion like you should. That’s not “good posture.”

Your posture can tell me a lot about how your body is doing.

I look to see if your posture is “correct” and if not, why? Postural imbalance and resulting pain could come from a usage imbalance, genetics, a muscle misfire due to an entrapped nerve, or an irritated organ. From a Rolfing Structural Integration (Rolfing SI) standpoint, I know that the most common reason for your bearing to be off is that your body’s compensating for the pain or discomfort these can cause.

Correcting these internal misalignments are what Rolfing is all about. If postural imbalance is causing you discomfort or pain, my focus will be to restore your body’s balance. I’ll review your posture and take you through a diagnostic process to find the true source of the issue, and improve your posture, too!

Christopher Horan’s Rolfing therapies help to restore your body’s ease, balance and strength. You can schedule a Rolfing appointment with him in Horan Rolfing’s Tacoma or Bellevue office. Good posture is only a call away.

Is Knee Pain Taking You Down? Talk to Your Rolfer

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC July 8, 2020 Knee Pain

Did you know that what starts as knee pain can cause pain elsewhere? That’s because if you don’t treat knee pain quickly, your body compensates. “Making up” for the knee, which is a pivotal hinge joint, will send your body off track. Rolfing tackles the cause of your pain for a long-term vs a short-term fix.

Because you need the knee joint for locomotion, if the pain is debilitating, all activity suffers. Sports play, walking, running, even simple actions like rising from a chair or taking the stairs hurt. That one vital joint permits flexion and extension, as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation. In other words, a healthy knee bends and straightens, plus – ever so slightly – rotates. What it’s NOT meant to do is move laterally or to rotate excessively. Our hips and ankles are supposed to handle those types of movements.

“I’ve had limited range of motion in my knee for years and within a few visits he has restored the range to almost 100%.”
– Satisfied Rolfing Client

When you visit either my Tacoma or Bellevue Rolfing practice, we’ll discover the source of your joint pain. I treat a lot of people specifically for knee injury. While some knee problems are from familiar causes, others may surprise you.

Lateral knee pain stemming from a too-short IT Band
Kneecap tracking issues stemming from overdeveloped lateral quads
Meniscus issues (pain behind the kneecap) due to a damaged meniscus or tracking issues
Medial pain from to an aggravated nerve that originates in the abdomen or an underdeveloped medial quad VMO (Vastus Medialis Oblique)

6 Questions About Knee Pain

My job as your Rolfer is to not only relieve the painfulness, but also to figure out where it stems from. To start, I ask myself these questions when I’m examining you:

Is there enough movement at the ankle?
Is there enough movement at the hip?
Is a nerve being aggravated by something going on in the abdomen?
Is there proper balance between the ligaments on the inside of knee vs. the outside?
Does the kneecap track straight and if not, why?
Is there a nerve or artery that is compressed on the back side of the knee?

As a Certified Rolfer treating knee pain, I aim to return balance to the tissues surrounding the joint, plus improve tissue mobility in the hip and ankle. Why are the hip and ankle involved? Because if they function correctly, there’s less strain on the knee to move in a way that it’s not designed to do.

Keep in mind that as the cause of the imbalance is often nowhere near where it shows up, my goal is to not only free you from the pain, but also to find and treat its origin.

As a Certified Rolfer, Christopher Horan uses Rolfing to restore your body’s ease, balance and movement. His Puget Sound Rolfing clients come from Tacoma, Puyallup, Newcastle, Gig Harbor, Fircrest and University Place, as well as the Seattle metropolitan and Bellevue areas. Schedule your Rolfing session with Christopher today in either his Tacoma or Bellevue location.

Now Scheduling: Horan Rolfing Reopens After COVID-19 Lockdown

By Christopher Horan, CR, CFNC June 2, 2020 Local Resources, Rolfing Tips

First of all, I hope you and yours have – and remain – healthy. Secondly, I’m happy to announce that Horan Rolfing is open and scheduling clients for Rolfing appointments. You can visit the site here to access my online scheduling system, review availability, and schedule your sessions.

As my Rolfing practice continues business operations, there will be new precautions and office safety measures implemented for the wellbeing of both you and me. I invite you to follow me on social media for updates on the practice, plus tips to keep your body moving well between Rolfing sessions.

Before scheduling your appointment, please review the below to understand the new operating procedures at Horan Rolfing. And finally, my sincere thanks, for your support and loyalty over the years.

In health,

Christopher

Horan Rolfing Safety | New Operating Procedures

All hard, touchable surfaces are being wiped down with CDC approved cleaners in between every session, including chairs, stools, doorknobs, face cradle, tabletops, disk, my cell phone, lamps.

All sheets and linens are replaced between every session.
My hands are washed before and after every session.
I am wearing a face-mask during every session.

When Not to Come in for a Rolfing Session

Because people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness, for office safety, anyone experiencing the below symptoms should not come in to Horan Rolfing for a session.

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Headache

Until we see each other again, if you’re feeling tight, try a stretch, like the Hip Flexor one below. Thank you for scheduling your next appointment, and for your continued support – see you soon!

Hip Flexor Stretch to Help Prevent Injury & to Relieve Tight Hip Muscles
Try my step-by-step instructional video on how to safely stretch your hip flexors. Your hip flexors are stabilizing muscles that let you bend from the hip. More video shorts to come, here. Keep moving safely – Christopher