I just noticed that the last message of rawgosia is from 25 july 2007, that is some months ago. Does anyone know what happened to her? I am just anxious to know if her back got better after all?

Green power

Yeah! Where's rawgosia? I miss her too. Maybe she's off having other adventures and exploring new things.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

She's posted recently, her most recent post was a few days ago: [www.rawfoodsupport.com]

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]

I seen her posts on fruitarian boards

Hi Greenpower,

You are so sweet. I am still around. I read and I don't post as much. I am giving myself quality time. My back hasn't got good yet, but I have got off painkillers (which I used for a little while but found completely dehydrating). I understand that what I need to do is to strengthen the muscles around my lower back, so that my disc doesn't pop up anymore - I am working on it.

I find fruit more and more irresistible. Mangoes season is on now in Australia, yum!

Warm regards,
Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

rawgosia

Are you able to withstand any weight pulling forward on your head / neck??..

The reason I ask is as follows:

Years ago I read an article by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia Clothing Company, in Climbing Magazine..In the article he was talking about his latest expedition to try & climb Mt. Everest, & how he had enjoyed the trip so much more than his previous one..

It seems that he had injured the disks in his lower back prior to the previous expedition & had been in more or less constant pain the entire trip (and still was to some extent)..

Prior to embarking on the latest expedition he had been reviewing photos taken on the prior trip where he had been in so much pain..It was when he was looking at a photo (from the rear) of a Himilayan porter carrying a heavy load up the trail in the tropical lowlands, that he noticed the incredibly thick ridge of muscle running up the man's back on either side of his spine..He recalled that these men often carried loads approaching their own body weight with a tumpline, using primarily the muscles in their necks & backs..

He had been debating the wisdom of whether or not to actually participate in the current expedition, considering the condition his back was in..He thought that he would try to build his back muscles up to see if it would reduce the pain so that he could participate in the expedition..

So he modified a daypack as I have outlined below & proceded to wear it ALL the time; from the time he got up in the morning until he retired at night to go to bed..It succeded beyond his wildest expectations!!..

Three months before leaving for the Himilayas he started wearing the modified daypack, with both shoulder straps & the tumpline that he added to the sides..

He began with only the weight of the modified daypack, approximately 1 1/2 lbs..He stated that in the beginning he could only bear this small amount of weight for a short period of time, 5 minutes or so..

When the pain & strain became too much he simply pulled the padded portion of the tumpline off of his forehead, & let it fall onto his chest..He would rest his neck muscles for a while, & then put the tumpline back on his forehead..

He did this until he could wear the tumpline in place for several hours without discomfort..He then added 1 pound to the pack, & repeated the process..He added weight in 1 pound increments until he got to 10 pounds..

Then he increased the weight by 5 pound increments..By the time has was to embark for the Himilayas he was able to support 30-35 pounds on his neck & back muscles alone..

Upon reaching Kathmandu, he carried as much weight as he could withstand in a modified large backpack during the trek from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp..By the time he reached base camp (30 day trek) he was able to carry 60-70 pounds on his neck & back muscles for 30 minutes or so at a time..

He continued to use the tumpline as much as possible during the climb; & by the time he returned to the states he had a ridge of muscle on either side of his spine nearly as big as the native porters..

He stated that he had no back pain after returning from the Himilayas for a year or so..The pain returned after allowing the muscle that he had developed to dissappear..

If you have one, you may want to consider taking an old daypack & sewing a set of straps to the sides of the pack approximately halfway up the sides..

A buckle arrangement on one (or both) side(s) will allow you to adjust the length of the straps in relationship to your forehead..

When you first start out, support the weight of the pack half on the tumpline & half on the shoulder straps..Then procede to allow all of the weight to rest on your forehead..

I have a compressed disc in my upper back that I have only rehabbed about 20%..

I've been telling myself for a couple of years to modify an old beat up daypack that I have & try this..

Since I'm tired of the constant pain, I think I'll dig out the webbing & buckles I purchased some time ago, grab my leather working tools, & sew on the straps needed so I can give this a proper try..

Good luck with your back, & I hope you fell better soon!!..

Bruce

Thanks for this, baltochef. I am printing this and getting my partner to translate for me - I got lost ha ha!

(What I have been doing is certain tensing exercises to strengthen my lower back muscles. I have problem particularly with standing and walking for prolonged times. From talking to other people who once were in a similar predicament, it seems that those who do heal, do so thanks to strengthening their muscles. So, at least I know now what to do. I had been in a very bad mood of helplessness before, eeck.)

All the best in your recovery! And thanks for sharing!

Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

Hi rawgosia,

Good to hear that you are still around!! Sorry about your back, hope you will find complete relief soon. I am a bit puzzled about it, did your back problem develop while being on raw foods, or do you think it can be the result of some backsliding? If you were on raw foods, then did you track your nutrients? Sorry for asking all this, you don't need to answer if you don't have time, or if you don't like to!

Greenpower

Greenpower,

My back problem is a physical injury as a result of me sitting in a terribly awful position for three hours (while marking assignments on an old sofa).

Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

Hi Gosia

Thanks for sharing. Too bad. I sincerely hope that you will get on top of it.
All the best!

Greenpower

hi baltochef

real cool stuff that you posted
i hung onto every word
always exhilarating to read about thing done incrementally to get phenomenal results

rawgosia

i empathize with you
very much so

don't give up though

u can take a break and cry or whine a little ( that's okay.. back pains are really painful)

but there is always hope even if u can't see it at the moment

explore a SPECTRUM of different possibilities that work for you

they do exist

it takes patience

i'm rooting for you!