American Medicine Today visits with Amir Academy of Martial Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics in 2016, more than 1 out of every 5 children reported being bullied at school. Amir Academy’s martial arts program teaches kids self-confidence as a means to deter bullying, as well as the skills necessary to defend themselves if things escalate. During the segment we speak to owner and head instructor, Master Amir Ardebily, who has been practicing martial arts for over 48 years and has had a school in St. Petersburg for over 30 years. We also speak to two students, Carter and Evan, about what they’ve learned since joining the Academy and how these skills are applied to their time at school.
Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) exposes the body to ultra-low temperatures. This technique was first utilized in Japan in 1978 to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Studies conducted in Europe over the past two decades have established WBC as a treatment for inflammatory disorders and injuries. Some professional athletes, who have previously tried ice baths, use WBC as a powerful and effective therapy that decreases recovery time and increases athletic performance.
Foggiare Institute, a therapy and wellness center in Largo, FL, is now offering WBC through their cryosauna as a treatment for inflammation, to speed up recovery from surgery, or as an overall health and calorie-burning technique. The cryosauna exposes the body to -230 degree Fahrenheit, for 2-3 minutes at a time, using a dry cold mixture of nitrogen gas and air. This causes blood to ruse to the core of the body, and after the exposure to the low temperatures, oxygen- and plasma-rich blood flows throughout the body, nourishing cells. According to Foggiare, clients walk better, sleep better and find relief from inflammation and pain. Additionally, says Foggiare, your body burns a tremendous number of calories combating the instantly cold environment.
AMT hosts Ethan and Kimberly stepped inside the WBC and share their experiences.
The Catalyst Refuge is a unique program that teaches relaxation techniques utilizing wild animals to facilitate healing. The program is based at The C.A.R.E. Foundation, a non-profit exotic animal rescue and sanctuary located in Apopka, FL. Catalyst founder Kevin Rose offers the program free to combat veterans, many of whom suffer from PTSD.
Kimberly Bermel/American Medicine Today: Give us some background about why you started this facility?
Kevin Rose/The Catalyst: The Catalyst is a human/animal interaction program that helps people move from feeling totally stressed out to absolutely calm in just seconds. As a massage therapist, I’ve worked with people for more than 20 years, all who have different kinds of stress. I found that there was one variable that brought everyone back to calm within seconds: using the five sense. I developed this program to promote the simplicity of learning to get calm. But the teachers that have been chosen, and have chosen me, perhaps, are the animals. They always live in their senses. They’re always responding to the environment with their senses. They taught me a valuable lesson about how to teach others how to use those inherent tools to calm in seconds.
Dr. Bonati/American Medicine Today: How did you put together the relationship between a person under stress, and an animal?
Kevin Rose: My whole career I’ve been fortunate and privileged to work with animals, as well as people. My first encounter was with dolphins, as a teaching assistant. During class, we were working in the water and swimming with a couple of dolphins. As I was swimming, the dolphins sandwiched me and began following my movements. It was if they were following my thoughts! I was amazed by it. Later, I had the opportunity to work hands-on with wolves. I recognized as I was in the middle of this wolf pack, and my energy raised and lowered, the animals would respond. They would growl and bump me.
Ethan Youker/American Medicine Today: If you’re anxious and upset and feeling aggressive inside, the animals reflect that?
Kevin Rose: That’s right. When I’d calm myself, they would reflect that as well. And that was my introduction to be able to work with the predatory animals specifically. There’s no real filter with them; they respond to the environment and what’s coming towards them. I started working more with them with the intention of bringing other people face-to-face with them to see how they would react. Like clockwork, the animals would react to the stress of that person. I teach this very simple technique that allows you to ground and the animal calms as well.
Ethan Youker: You’ve had a good success rate with soldiers who are diagnosed with PTSD?
Kevin Rose: Yes. It’s been a great time working with them and seeing how they respond to that sensory training. Think about how the universe is based on polarity: I know what hard is, because I know what soft is. When these men and women are trained in this heightened state, they can also know peace at that same degree.
Chris is a Navy Veteran, diagnosed with PTSD, who uses techniques he’s learned through The Catalyst program to center and calm himself.
Chris/Navy Veteran who has trained with Kevin at Catalyst: When I first came to Catalyst, I didn’t have any expectations; I didn’t come thinking these animals are going to react in a certain way. All I knew was to listen to Kevin and go with it. The first time that I stepped up to a cage I felt my shoulders tensing, my stomach began to hurt, I was breathing heavy, my chest was getting tight and my pulse rate was going up. It was all of the things I was familiar with from having a panic attack. The animal started to growl and feed off of my negative energy. I used Kevin’s techniques to calm down and center myself. I immediately saw a reaction in the animals – I could see it in their eyes and in the way they were breathing. I no longer have tunnel vision. When I first came to Catalyst, I didn’t listen to anything. Kevin told me to listen to the birds. Before, I wouldn’t have heard them. It used to be that if I was driving my car, I didn’t hear anything. There was no outside world I was living in, it was just ‘what is right here.’ No, I have the ability to start hearing noises I naturally tuned out for many years. It’s opened my eyes.
