I had the great honor of meeting and chatting with former gov Dr. John Kitzhaber about the momentum needed to address the current health care system and create a new vision of healthy Americans.

The Archimedes Movement – Dr. Kitzhaber’s brainchild founded in 2005 – held its first annual membership conference this past Saturday (6/14/08). I was deeply impressed by the two addresses Kitzhaber gave at the conference. Not only was his style entertaining and humble, but the content was educational.

I learned, for example, that the current health care system was a solution to problems that arose from the ashes of World War Two. In the 60 years that have passed since, the solution is now the problem. The system was originally designed to address acute care and infectious disease. The old system is not flexible enough to accommodate current needs such as patient education, prevention, and management of chronic diseases.

One of the arguments Archimedes is challenging is over the funding of health and a health care system. They challenge us all to consider what we are buying with the trillions of dollars we spend each year. Do we want to continue buying a broken system or do we want to pay for healthier Americans?

I hope you consider joining the discussion by getting involved with Archimedes or a similar effort. We are all stake holders (whether we want to be or not) and “we can do better.”

The psoas (SO-az) muscle is a very important hip flexor. As such it is attached to the upper, inside femur (lesser trochanter) and to the front (anterior) of the lumbar vertebrae. On top of the psoas muscles lay the intestines and on top of that are positioned the abdominal muscles.

All walking, running, crawling, and kicking activities require you to activate your psoas muscles. In order to sit comfortably your psoas has to be able to relax; sitting for prolonged periods, however can be a perpetuating factor in pain and dysfunction. A psoas that can’t relax can also prevent you from standing up straight, giving you a stooped appearance.

When the psoas has become stuck in contraction or has developed trigger points, the problem generally manifests as low back pain. Sometimes problems also show up as groin pain. A skilled therapist will investigate the psoas of a client who presents with low back pain.

image credited to Real BodyWork

We all need to sleep well each night to be most effective during the day. Some elements of chronic pain can be reduced by ensuring you have the proper mattress.

If you have ever thought about getting a “Sleep Number” bed give me a call and I’ll send you coupon for 10% off a new bed. Hurry, though, because they expire June 30^th, 2008.

A few years ago I bought a “Sleep Number” bed and have been very satisfied. After several months of waking up feeling crooked, with sore hips and a tight back, I figured it was time to investigate mattresses. After doing some research and napping on beds in stores all over Portland, I landed on a “Sleep Number”.

Now, even years later, I can’t wait to snuggle down onto my 35 and dream the night away. Gone are those creaky mornings and the perpetuating factor of a sagging mattress. Of course, that’s just my story. Get your own bed!