People seemed to be pretty interested in the facts I described regarding the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in my earlier article and it was the most hits my page has seen yet. I appreciate  your curiosity in the matter. We all have faith, but we're also human and in search for solid facts. The Shroud of Turin provides the answers if you can explore with an open mind. I had a period of strong doubt that quickly turned after exploring the Shroud. 
Here are some more interesting facts that you might have trouble wrapping your mind around. The Shroud has absolutely no shadows as if the image that was projected onto the Shroud originated from the body of the subject, creating a projection onto the linen. Images are given dimensionality by the angle of the light or light sources, not in this case. One observer/scientist studying the Shroud said that there is an optimal viewing distance to see the Shroud image, and as it is approached closely, it disappears! This rules out any chance of a photographic replication. The back of the image is also projected onto the cloth as if the body was elevated because of the lack of pressure points on the body image. Scientists also are quite clear of the fact that no pigment, dye or stain was used to create the image.
This Shroud has been researched by exceptional scientists in their respective fields and they're findings only strengthen the case for its legitimacy. There are microscopic particles found within the Shroud that travel the path described in the Bible. This includes pollen specific to certain geographical locations, limestone samples found in the Shroud that match the limestone found in ancient Jerusalem Tombs, and higher dust particles found closer to the feet. The dust mites also trace back to the time of Jesus! How could someone from the 14th Century come up with something like this?! The accuracy of the horrific brutality Jesus endured is also incredible. There are blood flows from numerous puncture wounds on the top and back of the scalp and forehead which follow gravity along with swelling over one cheek. The scourge marks are also visible and accurate to what the Roman's used. The "unseen thumbs" are also noted due to damage to the median nerve from a spike being driven through the wrist causing the thumb to rest into the palm. Almost all of medieval and modern artists depict Jesus as nailed through the palms during the crucifixion which is not accurate according to forensic experts. 
If you still don't believe, please explain. If you need me to explain why the Carbon Dating back in 1997 was inaccurate, I can do so. 
Please share on Facebook, Twitter, anywhere for that matter so we can all BeneFIT!

I get a kick out of these supplement manufacturers because of the dangerous chemicals they add to the supplement that go unnoticed. Here I am looking for a supplement that will have positive impact on my LDL (bad cholesterol) and my HDL (good cholesterol) and happen to notice what is added into the capsule itself. I mean the capsule has to be made of something, right?  I'm searching the isles of the grocery store and trying to find a reputable brand name and scanning the ingredients to find partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list. If you're not familiar with partially hydrogenated oils, let me fill you in. Partially hydrogenated oils damage the body in numerous ways. They encourage heart problems, strokes, nervous system problems, block the absorption of essential fatty acids, upset blood sugar regulation and more! They typically save the manufacturer money in the production process. So, here are the supplements claiming to improve your cardiovascular health, cholesterol, etc. and adding these harmful ingredients. Heads up people! You may think you're bettering your health, but may be negating your intended purpose! Do your homework on all of the ingredients and don't forget that supplements are not regulated by the FDA.

I never heard of this until recently, have you? After starting this new job at the Sandestin Executive Health and Wellness Center, I spoke with our Medical Director who comes from the Andrew's Institute in Gulf Breeze, FL. Anyone who watches sports, knows about the reputation of the Andrew's Institute. Well, I asked him what he does for those with high cholesterol, something I'm predisposed to despite eating fairly healthy and being very active. He said to try Astaxanthin, a supplement that wasn't even on my radar. I thought I did my homework on natural remedies, but nobody ever mentioned this one. He had also brought up Berberine which I may write about some other time. As far as Astaxanthin goes, it appears to be pretty powerful stuff. Walking through Publix the other day, I didn't expect to see it on the shelf, but there it was. It had "NEW" under it in the supplement section for approximately $17.
Astaxanthin is most commonly used as an antioxidant and may be beneficial in decreasing the risks of certain chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Astaxanthin is supposed to protect against LDL cholesterol, the unhealthy kind, and prevents LDL particles from being released and building in arteries (atherosclerosis) while reducing C-Reactive Protein (inflammation marker).  It has also been shown to improve the skin including diminishing age spots, freckles and wrinkles, fight sun damage, improving moisture content, reducing wrinkles and improves the nervous system's function.  Let's also add on that is helps with joint inflammation and protection from diabetes. After looking into this further, it all makes sense why it's not making headlines...IT CANNOT BE PATENTED! Pharmaceutical companies cannot get rich off of this.

Astaxanthin From NaturalNews.com, "You know what makes the flesh of salmon pink? Astaxanthin. And guess what gives salmon the seemingly superhuman ability to achieve marathon swimming feats, leaping up waterfalls against the current? Astaxanthin, of course. Without astaxanthin, salmon are mere average performers, and their survival rate drops to less than one in five. But with astaxanthin, they become superstars of the aquatic world, performing feats of physical strength and endurance that, in proportion, dwarf the greatest achievements of the world's top human athletes. (And their survival rate on salmon farms leaps from 17% to an astonishing 98%!)"

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid that is generally known to be a powerful antioxidant, being measured in some in vitro tests to be hundreds of times more potent than vitamin C or vitamin E! 

Also a good one for athletes! "It improves muscle endurance, proven in lab mice doing swimming endurance tests and in men doing squats with a 94-pound barbell. The mice were able to maintain blood glucose levels better than the controls and burn more fat to keep them swimming longer. The men improved their squats by 19% in the placebo group and 55% in the astaxanthin groupafter taking 4 mg/day of astaxanthin for 6 months." - www.hahealthnews.com

You can buy it here at a great price from Amazon!

This is worth looking into further, but please check with your physician first. Just remember, you heard it here first. Please share so other can BeneFIT!!

I didn't give up french fries this year for Lent, so I thought I'd share something instead, something I came across when I asked the right questions in my search for answers. I'm a science guy. I went through school always having to explain why things happen. This is why believing in the Resurrection was difficult for me, but look to your left. That is the face of Jesus Christ projected onto the Shroud of Turin. This has to be the most fascinating relic in the history of the planet. Nobody seems to really know about it though. Why is that? I'm Catholic, grew up going to Catholic school and heard little about it until recently. The one day I was exploring quantum physics and if you google "quantum physics" you'll find a lot of references to God because things get really weird when you start looking at the way particles behave at the smallest level. I happened to google quantum physics and the Shroud of Turin which brought me to a book fittingly called "The Shroud of Turin" by Chidambaram Ramesh and actually bought it on iBooks. 
I'm about to share with you the latest findings on the Shroud of Turin from a science perspective and then we can do the faith thing later. If I can change one non-believer though, it's worth every second of my time. 
You ready? Look again at that image, you think that's somebody's art? Think again. Here's fact #1 and I want to start with a quote from Ian Wilson, "To try to interpret it (Shroud Image) as the product of some unknown medieval faker seems rather like arguing for the Taj Mahal being a mere geological accident." It is easy to say that the blood stains and markings correspond remarkably with the sufferings Jesus Christ endured as accounted for in the Gospel, but that's easy to see. It has been proven that it is real blood on the Shroud from a human male because the DNA reveals both X and Y chromosomes, high levels of the pigment bilirubin (from trauma), bile pigments, proteins, albumin and on and on. This was determined by professors from Yale, University of Turin and a group of scientists forming the Shroud of Turin Research Team. So, real blood was used, let's accept that. What is difficult to explain is how the image is projected. Let me quote Ramesh, "the image is similar to a photographic negative, that is, the representation of light and shade are reversed in the image. Thus, the image of the man on the Shroud is seen clearly not in the photographic positive, but to one's surprise in the photographic negative. It is a case of the negative of a negative making a positive!" Nobody could have pulled this off as an artist and not to mention that the image is projected onto the linen with a depth thinner than a human hair.
Another crazy fact, the image is 3D! Those studying the Shroud noticed that the image changed as they changed position and I will quote Ramesh again, "It is important to note that no imagery in the history of art or science; no other works of art, normal photograph, artifacts or relics of any kind will produce a 3D plot like the one produced from the Shroud." Did you just read that! The argument that someone created this as a hoax is beyond unlikely. The carbon dating skeptics believe it is only a couple hundred years old. If so, could they pull this off?!!
Here is another amazing fact (FACT if you didn't hear me), from Ramesh again, "The image not only registers the outer surface of the body, but also the inside of the body. Yes, it reveals the roots of several upper teeth (underneath the closed mouth), the metacarpal bones in the left wrist and the femur under the left hand."!!! Like an X-ray on the linen. "Anyone who was that radioactive would be dead long before he was crucified". 
I'm going to let you digest this. Research it, I dare you! "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
This is more fun than french fries! Please share so we can all BENEFIT!

If you didn't notice, I'm a physical therapist and truly believe in what our profession does in the grand scheme of health care. Sometimes, I feel that we are on the low end of the totem pole, but have the potential to save the health care system large amounts of the green stuff. People tend to fear us because of the mantra "no pain, no gain" or "physical terrorist", but I think our profession has really progressed over the past several years into more of a biomechanics specialty or movement specialist with emphasis in manual therapy techniques (massage, mobilizing stiff joints, stretching, etc.) allowing us to treat much more effectively. So, what better way to kick off this BeneFIT blog than to explain how us physical therapists can help. 
I spend a lot of time educating potential clients on how correcting muscular imbalances can greatly relieve tension and pain. I like to think of your joints as tires on your car. If they're balanced properly, you get more life out of the tire. Joints act the same way. When you lack symmetry between one side and the other because of tightness or weakness, you may create torsion on the back creating pain, for example. Before you have surgery, I strongly encourage you to try a conservative approach and go see a physical therapist to assess your mechanics while attempting to correct them. "A recent study from Finland asserts that when it comes to treatment of nontraumatic rotator cuff tears, physical therapy alone produces results equal to those produced by arthroscopic surgery and open surgical repair. According to the study's authors, follow-ups of 167 shoulders treated show that "conservative treatment should be considered as the primary treatment for this condition."

Hello world! My name is Scott Rusin and I'm beginning my journey into the blogosphere! I hope to contribute to the world of health & fitness, religion, philosophy, mind, body and spirit. I currently work at Sandestin Executive Health and Wellness Center in the beautiful Sandestin Resort, Miramar Beach, FL. I am the Director of Physical Therapy and have come to realize how much the mind is involved in the healing process. Please follow along and I will try to share what I have learned with the hopes of learning from you so we can all BENEFIT! Comments and suggestions are always welcome!