Park Igls Guest Magazine
Autumn/Winter 2/2017
Park Zeit Sleepless NOT EVERYONE CAN TAKE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP FOR GRANTED
Innsbruck by night
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MODERN MAYR CUISINE Spices for the winter months
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DANCE, SWEAT, MOVE Exercise is the key to happiness
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STRUCTURAL CORE THERAPY Gets you into shape
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Sleep disorders ood sleep improves our G health
Sleep well! An interview with Dr Duftner and Dr Gartner
Modern Mayr cuisine
Warming spices and regional tastes
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Dance, sweat, move
An instruction manual for happiness
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Structural core therapy Holistic bodywork
The stomach: the centre of everything
Dr FX Mayr’s manual abdominal treatment
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Neuro@Mayr New at Park Igls
Migraines Causes and treatment
Did you know that... Interesting insights
Overview of offers & therapeutic modules
Dear Guest,
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nfortunately, a good night’s sleep isn’t a foregone conclusion for many people. On the contrary, sleep disorders are common, on the rise and affect people of all ages. Sleep is a big topic in this issue of ParkZeit. Find out why sleep disorders are not to be taken lightly and what warning signs you should be looking out for, and read when a specific diagnosis is recommended from a medical perspective. Sleep coaching at Park Igls and sleep diagnostics carried out with an eminent sleep specialist will help with this and provide clarity. On page 26, we introduce you to a new treatment module: Neuro@Mayr, which has been developed by our medical team. This new module has had extremely positive results when treating patients with Parkinson's disease here at Park Igls. Neuro@Mayr is based on the neuroscientific finding that degenerative nervous system diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, originate in the gut. I hope you enjoy our magazine, and I look forward to welcoming you back to the Park Igls.
Andrea Gnägi (Mag)
Contents
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Zzzzzzz We spend around a third of our lives asleep. But it’s not a big deal. In fact, it’s a good thing. Good sleep improves our health.
Health Retreat Park Igls provides long-term help through sleep coaching, which our team of psychologists offer in combination with Modern Mayr Medicine. Sleep and the metabolism are very closely linked.
The expert helps guests to identify and diagnose the causes of their sleep disorders and derives therapeutic treatments for them during their stay.
Many of us experience sleep disruption caused by tension, overthinking at night or from thoughts going around and around in our heads. ‘And virtually no-one is immune to them,’ adds Melanie Robertson, psychologist at the Health Retreat Park Igls. ‘Essentially, sleep disorders can affect anyone and are not necessarily linked to overloading in our professional or personal lives.’ In weekly sleep coaching sessions, the expert helps guests to identify and diagnose the causes of their sleep disorders and derives therapeutic treatments for them during their stay. According to Robertson, anxiety, stress and depression are the cause of non-organic sleep disorders in a disproportionally frequent number of cases.
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hat’s great for those of us who sleep well! But the meaning behind these words is especially clear to people who suffer from disrupted sleep at night, often resulting in serious health problems. There are a shocking number of them: statistically, around half of the world's population suffer with sleep disorders, and around a quarter of Austrian women have disturbed sleep.
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Sleep disorders
Around half of the world's population suffer with sleep disorders.
Common organic sleep disorders include restless legs syndrome (the overwhelming urge to move your legs), excessive daytime lethargy (narcolepsy) and sleep apnoea (excessively long or frequent pauses in breathing), which is a high-risk factor for heart and circulation problems. Sleep diagnostics and polysomnography, used particularly to investigate suspected sleep apnoea, are carried out at Health Retreat Park Igls in collaboration with a renowned Tyrolean sleep specialist. Comprehensive bodily function measurements are used to create an individual sleep profile and form the basis for suitable, and potentially necessary, treatments.
TAKE YOUR SYMPTOMS SERIOUSLY Do I have a sleep disorder? When do I need to see someone about it? As sleep disorders can have serious consequences for health, Robertson advises ‘paying close attention and never taking
regular disrupted sleep lightly’. You can identify potential signs of sleep disorders yourself, such as loud snoring or excessive daytime lethargy despite having slept the night before. Robertson says ‘Waking up multiple times a night or getting less than six to nine hours’ sleep should not cause you to worry. However, if you always wake up exhausted in the morning and feel increasingly fatigued during the day, you should seek treatment because identifying the reason of your sleep disorder is advisable, possibly combined with polysomnography.’
Sleep disorders
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The main causes of non-organic sleep disorders are everyday stresses, stress at work, anxiety and depression.
The main causes of non-organic sleep disorders are everyday stresses, stress at work, anxiety and depression. Inability to sleep is often characterised by thoughts going around and around, overthinking or disruptions to your sleep. A course of drugs is not always required for this type of insomnia. Sleep coaching at Park Igls teaches effective strategies which can help combat this kind of sleep disorder.
We have to take chronic sleep deprivation seriously, he says, ‘because it can also lead to memory loss, immune system disorders, chronic yawning, changes to judgement-making, an increased risk of diabetes, slower reaction times, muscle tremors and aches, growth retardation and feeling cold. As Mayr physicians, it is important for us to put everything in place so that our patients have a good night's sleep. Comprehensive professional sleep diagnostics and sleep coaching are central to this.’
Dr Gartner adds: ‘These alarming changes have not only been observed in adults, but in children too. A recent study even showed a link between lack of sleep and chronic vascular inflammation. That is a precursor to heart attacks and strokes.’ He therefore advocates ultrasound scans on blood vessels supplying the brain in the event of sleep disorders.
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Sleep disorders
Expert tips from psychologist and sleep expert Melanie Robertson
RELAXED BREATHING Lie in bed for 15–30 minutes, wait and concentrate on relaxed breathing. If you don't fall asleep, you can get up and do a low-stimulus activity, such as listening to soft music. Alternatively, try home remedies like hop, valerian and lemon balm tea or a glass of warm milk with honey. This stimulates the secretion of serotonin, which calms and relaxes you.
‘Learning specific relaxation techniques and information about sleep hygiene measures or your circadian rhythm (the much cited ‘inner clock’ which controls your sleep–wake cycle) are important elements of the coaching,’ adds Robertson.
SLEEP AND METABOLISM A good night's sleep = a healthy gut = a functioning metabolism. ‘Without a good night's sleep, you can't have a healthy gut or a functioning metabolism. Virtually all metabolic processes are subject to your circadian rhythm. This means that without regularly alternating sleeping and waking phases, your metabolism and digestion won't work to their full potential,’ Dr Peter Gartner, Medical Director at Park Igls, explains the link to Modern Mayr Medicine. Many scientific studies show that sleep disorders such as sleep deprivation, disrupted sleep and sleeping in the light can lead to significant health problems, including obesity, depression and high blood pressure.
What to do when you can’t sleep
Melanie Robertson CLINICAL, NEURO AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGIST Melanie Robertson is a specialist in stress prevention and acute anxiety and crisis intervention. She is also a sports and emergency psychologist, and has trained as a hypnotherapist and psychocardiologist. Additional focal points: dealing with illness and chronic pain, sleep coaching, motivating healthy change, neuropsychological diagnosis with subsequent planning and execution of therapeutic interventions. She applies resource-activating, relieving measures and elements of behavioural therapy and hypnotherapy. Melanie Robertson is currently writing a dissertation on sleep and cognition.
STAY CALM Replace the pressure of expectation with serenity. Waking up during the night is completely normal and does not generally affect the quality of sleep.
CREATE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT Most of us sleep in bedrooms that are too warm and too dry. The optimum temperature is 18°C. Placing a damp hand towel over the radiator helps to prevent irritated mucous membranes and subsequent disrupted sleep.
AVOID BLUE LIGHT IN THE EVENING
ONLY USE YOUR BED FOR SLEEPING
FIND YOUR OWN RHYTHM AND ROUTINE
The blue light from your computer screen, TV or smartphone shifts the body into day mode and disrupts your natural rhythm.
Don't watch TV, read or use your laptop in bed. It should be reserved for sleep.
If possible, go to bed at a similar time every evening and get up at a similar time each morning. This develops a good rhythm which makes falling asleep easier in the long term.
CREATE ‘SLEEP SYMBOLISM’
GET ENOUGH EXERCISE
Concentrate on a beautiful image – a meadow in bloom with a soft breeze blowing, for example, or a beach with waves breaking on the sand... You could also imagine clouds passing by and count sheep, just as you were taught to do as a child.
Regular physical activity improves sleep quality. Ideally, exercise in the fresh air to let the natural light rebalance your inner clock.
PRACTICE BREATHING EXERCISES
Late meals that are difficult to digest keep your digestion active. It is therefore best to avoid raw food in the evening and eat no later than three hours before you go to bed. Only drink alcohol in moderation, as it has a negative effect on sleep.
Use a simple breathing exercise to help relax your body, mind and spirit. Inhale as if you were breathing in a beautiful fragrance, then exhale slowly and deliberately, as if you were blowing air towards a candle without trying to blow it out.
EAT LIGHT EVENING MEALS
GROUP SLEEP COACHING Talk to others with the same issue and get crucial tips and information from an expert – it all helps to reduce and overcome your self-induced stress surrounding sleep. You will go to bed calmer and be able to see your sleep disorder in a more relaxed light.
Sleep disorders
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Sleep well! The desire to sleep well is a source of agonising, long-term stress for many people, which ultimately leads to illness. In this issue, lung and sleep specialist Dr Jörg Duftner and Medical Director Dr Peter Gartner discuss the causes and effects of sleep disorders and give recommendations for restful sleep.
Dr Duftner: Yes, I receive referrals from dentists who have diagnosed nocturnal teeth grinding, which can often result in short periods of consciousness that the patient is unaware of. People who snore generally seek out ENT specialists. Neurologists are consulted about hypersomnia (narcolepsy). General practitioners are also increasingly working with sleep medicine in situations such as a patient having high blood pressure in the morning, which could be behind the sleep disorder.
WHAT HAMPERS SLEEP AND WHAT IMPROVES IT These can be habits and external conditions that we don’t perceive as damaging to sleep. For persistent sleep disorders, we recommend trying to change one or more of these habits for a trial period.
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ou often feel tired. You are exhausted, but when you settle down in bed, you can't fall asleep. Perhaps, you sleep well, but in the morning, you feel totally drained of energy. Sleep disorders have many faces. Many people live with them for years, but they can also arise sporadically, as a result of specific situations. They are associated with morning or daytime sleepiness, sudden sleep attacks and with partners complaining about loud snoring. Dr Jörg Duftner: When working with patients suffering from sleep disorders, I first identify possible causes using a medical history form that I have devised. Everything you do around the time you go to sleep, such as eating, drinking, reading, watching TV, spending time on the computer and using sleep aids, has an effect, along with your family and work situation. The details of a sleep disorder are also significant. When do patients wake up? How often? What do they do afterwards? Do they feel tired in the morning or during the day? Are they suffering from restless legs syndrome? Dr Peter Gartner: Sleep disorders can have many different causes and, from a medical perspective, they are interdisciplinary.
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Alcohol, nicotine and caffeine: Alcohol may well help you fall asleep, but doesn’t help you stay asleep as your liver gets busy breaking it down at between 1am and 3am. It can lead to snoring and potential breathing interruptions caused by the soft palate muscles relaxing. Alcohol also reduces brain activity, which is detrimental to quality sleep. Smokers experience disruptive bouts of nocturnal withdrawal symptoms and caffeinated drinks are stimulants. However, older people can actually enhance sleep quality by drinking a cup of coffee before bed.
Eating and drinking: After late, heavy evening meals we often fall asleep quickly, only to wake up because our organs are busy digesting. Hunger pangs can also negatively affect sleep, so a small meal is advisable. Needing to go to the toilet also causes disruption to sleep, so liquid intake in the evening should be reduced. TV, computers and reading: Don’t overdo things before bed. Dramatic stories disturb a good night’s sleep, as does the light from screens, whose high blue component stops the distribution of the sleep hormone melatonin.
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I recommend writing down your concerns and addressing them in the morning.’ DR JÖRG DUFTNER
Light: Night-time trips to the toilet should be accompanied by ‘gentle’ lighting with a low blue component. The light of a full moon has also been proven to negatively affect sleep. Surroundings and rituals: The ideal bedroom temperature is between 14 and 18°C. Everyone has their own sleep rituals which are important to them, such as noise level, darkness, open or closed windows and doors.
Alcohol may well help you fall asleep, but doesn’t help you stay asleep.
Work: Sleep impairment caused by work is common for night-shift workers and frequent (long-haul) flyers.
with these obstacles. You can also read about this on page 7.
Brooding: Dr Duftner: Your bed can become your enemy if you take your problems with you. I recommend writing down your concerns and addressing them in the morning. Dr Gartner: The sleep coaches at the Park Igls know how to deal
Snoring, sleep apnoea and other problems: The sleep specialist uses the sleep laboratory to determine whether you have a sleep disorder or whether an underlying condition is affecting your sleep.
Interview
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We sleep specialists are needed to clarify the causes of sleep disorders as they are currently linked to more than 80 conditions.’ DR JÖRG DUFTNER
SLEEP AND ILL HEALTH The latest research shows that a lack of sleep results in weight gain, with the conclusions applying to both adults and children. But too little sleep also leads to high blood pressure and heart and circulation problems. Dr Duftner: We sleep specialists are needed to clarify the causes of sleep disorders as they are currently linked to more than 80 conditions. These include thyroid disease, alcohol and drug abuse, morbid obesity, neurological disorders of the sleep-wake rhythm and sleep apnoea. This is when you stop breathing, which is mostly picked up by your partner and often accompanied by snoring. The patient feels extremely tired in the morning. This condition affects around 9% of men and 4% of women and is especially common in overweight people. Dr Gartner: Snoring is not only a disruptive habit. It obstructs breathing, meaning that less oxygen gets into the lungs. Our experience with Mayr Therapy is significant, as it generally strengthens tissue tonicity. Even the soft palate, whose slackening causes snoring, becomes more resilient. This can stop snoring for as long as the programme’s effect lasts. Dr Duftner: The link between depression and sleep disorders is considerable. Depression often begins with sleep disorders. However, disrupted sleep,
10 Interview
such as that caused by sleep apnoea, also leads to depressive symptoms such as listlessness, loss of libido, etc. Dr Gartner: To temporarily ease sleep disorders caused by personal crisis events or acute issues, I also prescribe sleep aids. The new medication available today is effective for the short-term, and can be taken for 7 to 10 days. I have had good experiences with hypno-acupuncture (a combination of hypnosis and acupuncture), which I have recently begun to offer at the Park Igls. Just one or two sessions can help with the inner unrest that causes sleep disorders.
THE SLEEP LABORATORY Dr Duftner: I run a sleep laboratory that has proven effective for patients who have been referred to me by specialists because the cause of their sleep disorder is unclear. I generally advise patients to try this prior to undergoing any surgical procedure, for instance to correct snoring. Dr Gartner: Health insurance companies can also benefit from patients using the sleep laboratory, as it can identify heart and circulation problems early. Dr Duftner: Yes, breathing interruptions due to sleep apnoea can cause night-time strokes or heart attacks. Constant fatigue and listlessness can lead to burnout if left untreated. Generally, one night in
our high-end sleep laboratory is enough to accurately examine sleep patterns, identify the cause of breathing interruptions and recommend suitable treatment. Monitoring is not just carried out with devices and video footage, but also thanks to specialist staff, who regularly record any significant changes. Patients have as ‘normal’ a night as possible, including their usual evening routine. Even taking sleep aids is advised, provided that the patient uses them regularly. Being wired up to the monitors is entirely painless and also doesn't hamper you going to the toilet. The data is evaluated and processed the next day.
Sleeping through the night: Both doctors agree that we were not born to stay asleep through the entire night. We wake around five or six times a night on average, but we rarely realise this. Even waking sufficiently to check the time does not constitute a sleep disorder.
We were not born to stay asleep through the entire night. Dr Jörg Duftner MYTH OR REALITY? Siesta: Dr Gartner: As a Mayr Physician, I’d argue that tiredness after a meal is caused by eating the wrong foods. Thorough chewing means that food is virtually predigested and doesn't put any stress on the body. After my meals, I feel energised and driven. However, studies show that the adrenal glands have better blood flow when in a horizontal position, and hormone levels, which have decreased during the morning, increase. So I'm left with a paradoxical recommendation: lie down for a short time before you eat lunch. This promotes chewing strength and saliva production for the upcoming meal. Try it for yourself: it works!
Sleep specialist and consulting physician at Park Igls Jörg Duftner studied medicine in his home city of Innsbruck, specialising in lung disease. During his specialist training at the state hospital, Natters, he focused on the field of sleep medicine, which has been one of the specialist fields he has practised in Innsbruck since 2005. Alongside his work at Park Igls, Dr Duftner is also an in-patient physician at a private clinic (Privatklinik Hochrum). As an experienced sleep specialist, Dr Duftner runs a high-end sleep laboratory which investigates unexplained sleep disorders.
Duration of sleep: This depends on the individual, but women generally need half an hour more sleep than men. Sleep rhythm: Dr Gartner: Sleep rhythm changes with age. It is obvious that sleep patterns change from birth to adolescence. But it is also clear that older people do not sleep as much during the night and so feel the need to sleep during the day.
Interview
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spices for the winter months
The Modern Mayr cuisine prepared by Head Chef Markus Sorg is alkaline, light, delicate and delicious. Spices play a vital role in his gourmet fasting dishes due to both their taste and their health benefits. We asked him which spices we should be using in the winter months. In the colder months, we instinctively lean towards warming dishes. The right spices can boost this warming effect even more. So, as well as improving the taste of a dish, they also improve your health. When used correctly, spices have wide-ranging health benefits, from cleansing the blood, to reducing inflammation, colds and fevers, as well as being antibacterial and having a warming effect.
TURMERIC stimulates the production of bile and therefore improves fat-burning.
GALANGAL stimulates digestion, reduces inflammation and is antispasmodic.
CUMIN strengthens the stomach, cleanses the blood and stimulates digestion.
CARDAMOM is antibacterial and detoxifying. It stimulates digestion and is antispasmodic.
GINGER regulates intestinal flora and reduces inflammation.
FENNEL SEEDS reduce stomach pains and sore throats and are a natural sedative.
CINNAMON is antibacterial and reduces blood sugar levels.
PEPPER stimulates circulation.
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Modern Mayr Cuisine
Modern Mayr Cuisine 
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A taste of the region Organic, sustainable, regional. Head Chef Markus Sorg is in the fortunate position of being able to create his Modern Mayr cuisine primarily using ingredients from his immediate environment.
Aside from the freshness of these ingredients due to the minimal transport required, high quality is also guaranteed. The villages surrounding Park Igls are home to small, local farms, butchers and vegetable growers, where the foods used to create Park Igls' healthy dishes are sustainably produced. Knowing his producers and suppliers and understanding how the ingredients are grown and/or reared is hugely important to Sorg. ‘We are lucky to be able to use excellent ingredients from the countryside surrounding Igls and the wider Innsbruck area. It’s a real privilege,’ he says. This means that guests can enjoy gourmet fasting dishes including Tyrolean mountain lamb, organic Stubai Valley chicken, Tyrolean sheep milk yoghurt and much more. Alpine honey also comes from Tyrol, from a small beekeeper in the Olympic region of Seefeld. Honey is a bit of a buzzword actually: our park has also boasted a bee colony since last summer. ‘We have harvested our own honey for the first time this year. Our 50,000 new staff members are very diligent and we’re working to develop our own honey production in the garden.’
Medium-rare game
Saddle of venison with wholemeal Serviettenknödel (bread dumplings) Grind the salt, pepper and juniper berries in a pestle and mortar. Add the olive oil and mix to form a marinade. Rub the mixture onto the saddle of venison and leave at room temperature for around 30 minutes. Sear the meat in a pan with a little olive oil and put it to one side to rest. To make the dumplings, cut the wholemeal and white bread into 1cm cubes and fry in a little olive oil along with the pine nuts until lightly browned. Place the browned mixture in a bowl and mix with the egg yolks, soya milk, freshly chopped parsley, spices and lemon zest. Beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff and fold into the mixture. Place the dumpling mix on a damp tea towel and wrap the saddle fillet inside it. Tie the tea towel up with string at both ends, place in a pan of boiling water and leave to cook for around 18 minutes. Once cooked, leave the dumpling mixture in the tea towel for around 5 minutes, then use a sharp knife to slice it into even pieces.
SERVES 4 Fleur de Sel 5 peppercorns 5 juniper berries 20ml olive oil 500g boned saddle of venison SERVIETTENKNÖDEL (BREAD DUMPLINGS) 400g stale wholemeal bread 100g stale white bread 1 tbsp pine nuts 2 eggs, separated 300ml soya milk
Pour the orange juice into a measuring jug and gradually add the olive oil until it covers the juice. Finely grate the pear into the measuring jug. Add the yoghurt, season and purée with a hand blender.
1 small bunch parsley Oregano Grated nutmeg Salt & pepper
TIP FROM HEAD CHEF MARKUS SORG: ‘The venison and dumpling mixture can also be rolled up in cling film – and sealed with aluminium foil – before being placed in the cooking water. Enjoy!’
Zest of one organic lemon Juice of half an orange 100ml olive oil 1 pear 200g yoghurt
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Modern Mayr Cuisine
Modern Mayr Cuisine
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An instruction manual for happiness
Dance, sweat, move
Exercise is a central element of Modern Mayr Medicine, so it is a fixed part of every guest’s daily programme. There is an impressive range and variety of exercise on offer.
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he comprehensive exercise programme at Health Retreat Park Igls is based on five pillars of fitness: strength, heart and circulation, mobility, coordination and regeneration. Exercise, training and motivation is provided through one-to-one coaching sessions or in groups. Work up a sweat in our gym with its stunning view of the Karwendel mountains, on our pitch and putt course, in our indoor pool, fitness studio and, weather permitting, out in the fresh air. Then it’s straight outdoors into the fresh, clean air of the nature park, whose sunny plateau is home to many walking, hiking and running trails. ‘Mayr is about exercise too. That’s what my team and I help with,’ explains Michael Multerer, sports expert and Head of Exercise Therapy at Park Igls. ‘Exercise is the key to happiness’ is the superfit 48-year-old's motto. He has been in charge of exercise at Park Igls for five years now. The exercise programme he developed is as diverse as his experience: he is a former top athlete, studied business, advertising and marketing, and is a fully qualified trainer and mental coach. Exercise has always been (virtually) everything to him. Not a day goes by that he doesn't engage in some kind of sport.
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Dance, Sweat, Move
When he talks about his work with guests at Park Igls, he uses the term ‘awareness raising’ more often than he does coaching or fitness training. According to Multerer, ‘raising awareness is the key to success. I want to flick the switch and teach people how important it is to build sport and exercise into their everyday lives. It's all about improving quality of life, health and wellbeing. My team and I are generally very good at it,’ he adds. Proof of this is an 88-year-old, who only started strength training in his later years. He started an exercise programme with a famous French chanteuse in Park Igls’ indoor pool: ‘There were no other guests around. Suddenly, she started to sing a medley of her most popular songs. The training obviously did her good, and the same went for me.’ Multerer goes on to reference current findings of long-term studies: ‘just 30 minutes of exercise a day is enough to have a positive impact on your health and prolong your life. Dance, sweat, move!’ Michael Multerer's words sound like a sermon. He knows what he's talking about.
EXERCISE PROGRAMME Our team of around 12 fitness instructors look after our guests as they undertake the Park Igls exercise programme. There are around 10 exercise classes to choose from each day, with up to 65 different exercise units available. There's something for every age, every taste and every ability level. The following is just a sample of what is available: aqua jogging, gymnastics, Rhythm ’n’ Move, cardiovascular exercises, strength training, foot fitness, Nordic walking, Pilates, table tennis, swimming, Yoga, core training in water, dance, Sweat & Smile, kybun®, joint mobilisation, NATUREletics, sling training, interval jogging, CrossFit Outdoor, Feldenkrais®, knee stabilisation training, fascia training, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, golf pre-shot training, coordination and strength training for golfers, joint mobilisation in water, dynamic stretching, Balance Your Body, pelvic floor exercises, spine training and our ‘intelligent' abdominal workout.
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I want to flick the switch and teach people how important it is to build sport and exercise into their everyday lives. It's all about improving quality of life, health and wellbeing.’ MICHAEL MULTERER
Regular exercise is best: KEEP IT SIMPLE! It's not all about equipment, complicated techniques or trendy fitness studios. The simpler the exercise is, the greater the chance of you doing it regularly. Why not start with walking? EXERCISE SHOULD BE FUN! The best exercise is often not the ‘most sensible’ one, but the one you enjoy the most. This increases the likelihood both of you doing it regularly and its positive effect. CHANGE THINGS UP! Vary the type of exercise you do and the level of intensity. This is the only way to provide your body and mind with new impulses that both strengthen and motivate them. This means covering the five pillars of fitness: strength, heart and circulation, mobility, coordination and regeneration. REGULARITY IS KEY! Training when you can is better than nothing, but regular exercise makes all the difference. Only consistent training stimuli offset with rest periods will get results. IMPROVE YOUR AWARENESS! Understanding the huge positive effect of exercise on your quality of life not only makes you enjoy exercise even more, it makes it much easier to combat and overcome your inner couch potato. SET GOALS! Sportsmen and women, feel free to skip this part. Everyone else should set clear and, above all, realistic goals and think about how they can best achieve them.
Dance, Sweat, Move
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exercises that anyone can do
Keep fit during those cold winter months: we recommend repeating each exercise 20 times and putting an extra bit of effort into the last repetition. You will most likely only be able to do a few repetitions of some exercises to start with, but that's nothing to worry about: don't get discouraged! If this is the case, do all five exercises one after another then repeat the circuit three times (if you can). You’ll soon feel the positive effects.
3 Circuits
20 Repetitions
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CRUNCHES/ SIT-UPS
These strengthen your straight abdominal muscles. Please note: to protect your back, crunches should never be done in a jerking motion.
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4
LEG LIFT ON ALL FOURS
This strengthens all of your core muscles. Place your hands under your shoulders, knees under the hips, and have the balls of your feet on the floor with your toes curled. Keep your back straight, i.e. your back and abdominal muscles should be tensed. Please note: do not hollow your back! From this position, lift your knees a few centimetres from the ground, and hold.
Dance, Sweat, Move
These strengthen your chest, front shoulder and arm muscles, and stomach. Please note: you should never bend and extend your arms too quickly when doing press-ups; try placing a soft pad under your knees.
LUNGES
These strengthen your leg and buttock muscles. Please note: keep your upper body upright – this also strengthens your core muscles and makes the exercise good for your posture.
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PUSH-UPS WITH KNEE SUPPORT
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‘DRY SWIMMING’
This strengthens all muscles joined to the shoulder blades and your back shoulder and back extensor muscles. Please note: lie on your stomach and simulate breaststroke – your arms and legs should hover just above the ground.
Dance, Sweat, Move
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Structural core therapy aligns body and mind
Health Retreat Park Igls offers structural core therapy, a type of holistic bodywork and fascia therapy. Biochemist Dr Ida Rolf, the creator of Rolfing, had the groundbreaking idea of integrating gravity into therapy.
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ravity is constantly working on the body, generating tension or compression. If the body is knocked off balance, either physically or mentally, it attempts to restore that balance to hold itself up. The muscles and fascial network are constantly in demand, sometimes with a high energy input. A stooped posture, adaptive postures after accidents and operations, and one-sided strains result in fascia in specific areas of the body becoming ever more compressed. They become matted, lose elasticity and are not as well ‘watered’ as healthy tissue. Ida Rolf referred to fascia as 'the organ of structure'. She theorised that conscious, targeted mobilisation of this tissue has a freeing and beneficial effect on the body. Structural core therapy always addresses the whole body rather than focusing on individual symptoms. The aim is to ensure that the fascia tissue is supple and lubricated again, to better align the body, relieve unnecessary tension, and remove any basis for issues linked to bonded, matted fascia. Structural integration can help the body to reorganise itself and raise itself up using gravity.
STRUCTURAL CORE THERAPY IS A FORM OF HOLISTIC BODYWORK The therapist’s targeted, deep-tissue work on the patient reconfigures individual areas of the body both separately and in relation to each other. Bonded layers of connective tissue are released, contractions are stretched and hardened tissue is made supple again. The aim of every session is to integrate the structure as much as possible. This also means patients can get close to their pain thresholds. Communication between therapist and patient regarding the quality and intensity of perceived pain is crucial during treatment. We are not generally used to monitoring pain and expressing it in words. Saying 'stop' when things get too much isn’t easy and has to be learned. This can be an important part of structural core therapy and can fundamentally change the way that a person deals with pain.
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Structural core therapy
Structural integration can help the body to reorganise itself and raise itself up using gravity.
Fascia The fascia envelops muscles, bones and organs, providing both protection and shape – they are the body’s shock absorbers. Previously not seen as important for health and fitness, many doctors and therapists now acknowledge fascia tissue as the body's largest sensory organ and recommend regular exercise and an alkaline-rich diet, which protects against loss of elasticity.
Structural core therapy
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‘Every patient is examined in detail: how they walk, sit and stand, whether they have pelvic obliquity, whether their shoulders are hunched.’ a
Ida Rolf (1896–1979) was an American biochemist, who began to work with people out of professional interest and as a result of chronic conditions in her family. Over the years, she discovered that the human body and its structure, which is expressed in the posture among other things, can be more substantially changed than previously thought using specific types of tissue manipulation. She called her work structural integration. Since then, other fascia methods have been developed based on Ida Rolf's ideas. One of these is structural core therapy.
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Structural core therapy
The main focus of structural core therapy is improving structure, posture and movement.
a
WHO NEEDS STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION? The main focus of structural core therapy is improving structure, posture and movement. This method is therefore suited to anyone looking to improve their physical wellbeing for the long term. It is also beneficial for chronic tension, adaptive postures and reduced movement due to accidents and operations, and for women after pregnancy and birth. Ida Rolf developed a series of treatments to systematically improve posture and movement patterns. In the initial sessions, the therapist focuses on the superficial fascia layers to ensure more elasticity in the thorax, freer breathing, a healthier alignment of the pelvis, thorax and shoulders, and better organisation of the feet and legs. The following sessions address the deeper fascia layers, and the body can then continue to align itself better to a vertical axis. In the final sessions, the body is aligned as a whole to improve balance and increase mobility. Particular attention is given to working on both body awareness and the art of moving in order to ensure that the changes are sustainable. Structural core therapy is also excellent for preventing tension and pain. ‘The basis of every single session is body reading. Every patient is examined in detail: how they walk, sit and stand, whether they have pelvic obliquity, whether their shoulders are hunched,’ explains Hanni Gartner. She and Josef Schöffthaler provide structural integration at the Health Retreat Park Igls.
Structural core therapy
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The stomach: the centre of everything
How abdominal treatment works
When young medical student Franz Xaver Mayr was massaging the stomachs of constipated patients during a placement in the spa resort of St Radegund, he never thought that it would form the foundation of a revolutionary treatment, which is now one of the core treatments in every Mayr programme: FX Mayr’s manual abdominal treatment performed by a physician. 120 years later, his initial abdominal therapy has been developed into a multi-faceted treatment concept. Therapists’ techniques range from superficial, rhythmic strokes, circular motions and gently pressing and releasing the stomach, to classic compression methods in time with breathing. However, all types of abdominal
treatment have six vital effects in common, without which Modern Mayr Medicine treatment would be inconceivable:
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Any part of the intestine that has sagged due to fermentation, putrefaction or other toxins is made more toned and able to move more powerfully again. These intestinal movements, described as peristalsis, ensure that toxic intestinal contents are removed quickly. Rhythmic changes in pressure allow blocked lymph fluid and venous blood to flow more easily, and also let fresh, arterial blood to be taken in so that the entire intestine is supplied with more oxygen and the circulation of blood in the abdomen is significantly improved.
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Switching between normal and positive pressure boosts the secretions of all digestive glands – especially the liver and pancreatic glands – so that bile and digestive juices can flow easily. After just a few minutes of abdominal treatment, a previously enlarged, hardened liver feels considerably softer.
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The Stomach
Every improvement to the abdomen inevitably leads to better breathing quality. This is one of the quintessences of more than a century of experience of Mayr Medicine. Abdominal treatment allows the diaphragm to sit deeper, which results in deeper breathing. The blood oxygen level increases significantly during an abdominal treatment, which leads to rosier, more toned skin. This is demonstrated perfectly by making a fold of skin on the back of your hand both before and after the abdominal treatment. After the treatment, the time it takes for the fold to fade is much shorter than before!
Connective and fatty tissue in the abdomen are the body's preferred metabolic toxin storage areas prior to their regular removal via our body's own waste disposal system. These unwanted substances, especially lactate and amino acids, are diluted in water and the liquid toxins are stored in the fat cells of the connective tissue supplying the intestine and its vast network as in a natural sponge. Slowly and rhythmically pressing and releasing the intestine and its connective tissue squeezes this ‘sponge’ to remove excess stored liquid via the lymphatic vessels. The cleansing effect is amplified by the patient inhaling and exhaling deeply and the therapist pressing and releasing in time with this. This is an improvement on the abdominal treatment technique Dr Franz Xaver Mayr developed in 1955 as an 80-year-old.
DID YOU KNOW... that manual abdominal treatment is recognised as a medical procedure by the Austrian Medical Association and must only be carried out by a specially trained Mayr physician?
Abdominal treatments are performed with bare hands – a rarity in this world of equipment-based medicine, which generally avoids direct touch. The physician’s sense of touch informs the treatment, and he or she can sense and bring about both physical and psychological changes.
The Stomach
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New
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he latest neuroscientific findings prove what Mayr physicians have long suspected: degenerative nervous system diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, originate in the gut. ‘One approach to therapeutic intervention is therefore to rehabilitate the gut,’ explains Professor Gerhard Luef, neurologist at Innsbruck University Hospital and consulting physician at Health Retreat Park Igls. At Park Igls, this approach has shown positive results in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease, so our medical team is offering it to our guests in the form of the new Neuro@ Mayr treatment module.
Alongside Modern Mayr Medicine cures designed to cleanse and stabilise the gut, this treatment module also comprises physiotherapy, Feldenkrais®, deep-tissue massage and individual neuropsychological coaching sessions. The regenerating neurointestinal effect of Modern Mayr Medicine, combined with targeted physiotherapy, can lead to long-term improvements in mobility and coordination. Personalised neuropsychological coaching sessions teach the patient coping strategies for use in everyday life, while Feldenkrais® method sessions allow new movement patterns to be explored and learned. Additional deep-tissue massages relax the muscles, enhance mobility and improve sleep.
Neuro@Mayr 26 Neuro@Mayr
Offer
Neuro@Mayr ∞∞ Initial examination – integrated health check (30 mins) ∞∞ 1 medical examination – manual abdominal treatment (20 mins) ∞∞ Concluding examination (30 mins) ∞∞ Physiotherapy assessment (50 mins) ∞∞ 2 training sessions (25 mins each) ∞∞ 2 talk therapy/coaching sessions (50 mins each) ∞∞ 3 one-to-one Feldenkrais® lessons (50 mins each) ∞∞ 3 partial body massages (25 mins each) ∞∞ Daily Kneipp treatments (leg, arm or seated contrast baths) ∞∞ Personal Modern Mayr cuisine diet plan ∞∞ Mineral water, herbal tea and base broth ∞∞ Group exercise sessions, active and passive anti-stress exercises (relaxation), lifestyle management and mental coaching ∞∞ Lectures & presentations ∞∞ Use of swimming pool, sauna and panoramic gym
€1,980 for 1 week, excluding accommodation. Price valid from 26 Dec 2017 to 15 Dec 2018
Neuro@Mayr
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Migraines start in the gut – and are statistically more common in women The fact that Salvador Dali, Richard Wagner and Marie Curie are believed to have been afflicted with migraines is little consolation for sufferers today. Statistically speaking, it is fairly likely that these geniuses suffered with migraines: after all, 10% of the world’s population suffer from this painful condition. Migraines are a widespread problem. ‘Women get around three times as many migraines as men,’ adds Dr Richard Kogelnig, Deputy Medical Director at Park Igls.
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DR RICHARD KOGELNIG Deputy Medical Director
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he dedicated Mayr physician and general practitioner is trained in neural therapy, manual medicine and acupuncture, and treats migraine sufferers at Health Retreat Park Igls. Migraine symptoms are varied and typically characterised by periodically recurring, paroxysmal, pulsating, throbbing or one-sided headaches and are often associated with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to noise and light. The causes of migraines have not yet been scientifically established, but intensive research is being carried out all the time. ‘The latest scientific findings indicate that they are caused by inflammation in the brain linked to irritation of cranial nerves, such as the optical nerve or the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve and the largest in the parasympathetic nervous system. This increases pain sensitivity and causes pain impulses.’
Large-scale studies show that the cause of this inflammation is linked to changes in intestinal mucosa, which is referred to as leaky gut. This process is coupled with pathological changes in intestinal flora, which lead to toxic substances from the intestine entering the circulatory system in the brain. ‘Modern Mayr Medicine offers a natural, organic treatment by improving intestinal flora and function,’ explains Kogelnig. This has a serious impact on the immunocompetent cells – microglia – in the brain and nerve cells, and protects them from pathogenic factors. Studies prove that the better the immune system works, the healthier the intestine and intestinal flora are. This is the central concern for Mayr physicians. FX Mayr spoke about rehabilitating the intestine, meaning that intestinal cleansing, dietary measures and a change in eating habits repair the function and interaction of intestinal mucosa and eliminate the effects of leaky gut syndrome. Migraine sufferers benefit from a detox programme carried out by a specialist according to Modern Mayr Medicine in two ways. Firstly, toxic substances which are produced during the digestion and fermentation processes are eliminated. Secondly, intestinal flora is optimised, which protects the body from dangerous germs and continually stimulates the immune system,’ explains the expert. Probiotic treatment can optimise intestinal flora still further. Probiotics (in fermented milk products like sour milk, yoghurt, kefir, etc.) and standardised acidophilic bacteria can help to reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines.
PROVEN MIGRAINE TRIGGERS
‘Studies prove that the better the immune system works, the healthier the intestine and intestinal flora are.’
Alongside the detox programme at Park Igls, patients are also offered acupuncture. ‘Acupuncture is another important part of treating migraines and has been successfully used to combat a range of issues for thousands of years,’ adds Dr Kogelnig. The ancient Chinese knew that fasting significantly increases the effectiveness of acupuncture. ‘They use the term ‘blocked middle burer’, meaning the stomach. These blockages are cleared through detoxifying dietary measures. Paired with FX Mayr therapy, acupuncture not only increases the success rate of migraine treatment, it also successfully resolves many other health issues.’
∞∞ Histamine-rich foods (shellfish, strawberries, etc.) ∞∞ Serotonin-rich foods (bananas, nuts, etc.) ∞∞ Tyramine-rich foods (cheese, red wine, chocolate) ∞∞ Glutamate (flavour enhancers) ∞∞ Climatic factors and sensory overload: TV, computers, flashing lights, loud music, noise or strong smells ∞∞ Sleep deprivation ∞∞ High stress levels ∞∞ Hormones: female hormones before and during menstruation
Migraines
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Accommodation rates
Did you know that... … storing too much acidic metabolic waste (such as lactate, our number one toxin) in subcutaneous fat tissue can lead to miniscule inflammatory reactions in the body? When these inflammations result in scarring, the tissue fibres contract and form small nodules. The subcutaneous tissue changes much like a quilt – forming cellulite. Regular detoxing with Modern Mayr Medicine significantly reduces these processes and can therefore halt the formation of cellulite!
… varicose veins are not caused by crossing your legs, enjoying a sauna or the benefits of underfloor heating, but by a pre-existing defect? Anything that exercises the tissue is a good idea, including compression stockings.
CONCEPT AND DESIGN Studio Roth&Maerchy AG, Zürich
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Did you know that...
€153 – €345 €148 – €250 €273 – €392 €1,190
Prices are per person per night; treatments are not included. * For single occupancy on request. Discounts: 5 % for stays of 14 nights or more, 10 % for stays of 21 nights or more.
… fasting sharpens our sense of taste? Weeks and even months after completing a fasting programme, we continue to perceive flavours, especially sweetness and saltiness, with greater clarity and intensity.
… men’s and women’s hearts age differently? One thing’s for sure: men and women don’t just suffer different symptoms, they also require different treatments and different preventive approaches.
IMPRINT Responsible for content: Gesundheitszentrum Igls GmbH Igler Strasse 51, 6080 Innsbruck-Igls Tel +43 512 377 305 Fax +43 512 379 225 info@park-igls.at www.park-igls.at
Single rooms Double rooms* Suites* Park Igls Suite (for up to 5 people)
… INFLAMMATORY PROBLEMS SUCH AS TONSILLITIS, BRONCHITIS, COLDS AND RECURRING SINUSITIS ARE ROOTED IN AN OVERBURDENED IMMUNE SYSTEM? STRENGTHENING AND CLEANSING THE GUT CAN CAUSE A REDUCTION IN THE INCIDENCE OF THESE TYPES OF INFECTION.
Therapeutic modules THE BASIC PROGRAMME Forms the basis of our treatment service and an integral part of every treatment module MAYR CLASSIC Get to know Modern Mayr Medicine
€1,254
MAYR INTENSIVE For a thorough detox and optimal health results
€1,686
MAYR DE-STRESS Slow down and restore your energy flow
€1,887
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM Treatment of back disorders, restores mobility
€1,648
HEART & CIRCULATION Positive effect on risk factors such as stress, obesity and high blood pressure
€1,746
METABOLISM & DETOX For food intolerances, allergies, burnout and sleep disorders
€1,853
Special offer DETOX ON THE RUN
€1,556
Special offer KYBUN®@MAYR
€1,440
Special offer NEURO@MAYR
€1,980
Diagnostics MODERN MAYR MEDICAL CHECK
€3,805
Diagnostics SUPER MEDICAL CHECK
€2,093
€2,463
EDITORIAL Andrea Gnägi (Mag), Dr Peter Gartner, Dr Richard Kogelnig, Dr Jörg Duftner, Melanie Robertson (Mag), Markus Sorg, Michael Multerer, Claudia Reichenberger, Michael Weiss, Helene Forcher (Mag), Ingrid Striednig
PHOTOGRAPHY Fred Einkemmer, Hansi Heckmair, Jack Coble, Martina Meier, Maricruz Aguilar
Diagnostics MEN'S MEDICAL CHECK
CIRCULATION 2,500
Diagnostics ULTRASOUND SCREENING PROGRAMME
COPY EDITING marketing deluxe, Claudia Reichenberger
© September 2017 Printed on Cyclus Print made from 100% recycled fibres in compliance with RAL UZ 14 – Blue Angel
Park Igls’ medical team
€977
€998
Prices are per person per week and exclude room rates. Prices for additional weeks on request. Prices and services valid from 26 Dec 2017 to 15 Dec 2018
Offers & Treatment Modules Overview
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Park Igls | Gesundheitszentrum Igls GmbH | Igler Strasse 51 | 6080 Innsbruck-Igls | Austria Tel +43 512 377 305 | Fax +43 512 379 225 | info@park-igls.at
www.park-igls.at